Glove Selection Chart

The times listed below are average breakthrough times for each type of glove, i.e. the minimum time that it will take for a given chemical compound to break through the glove material.

Chemical Name	Nitrile	PVC	Neoprene	Butyl	Comments
Acetic Acid, Glacial	4.5 hr	3 hr	7 hr	NR
Acetone	NR	NR	10 min	> 17 hr
Acetonitrile	30 min	NR	30 min	> 8 hr
Ammonium Hydroxide, conc.	> 8 hr	4 hr	> 6 hr	NR
Aniline	72 min	3 hr	35 min	> 8 hr
Benzene	9 min	13 min	16 min	31 min
Carbon Disulfide	20 min	NR	NR	< 4min
Carbon Tetrachloride	2.5 hr	25 min	31 min	NR
Chloroform	NR	10 min	12 min	NR
Chromic Acid, 50%	4 hr	NR	NR	NR
Dichloroethane	16 min	NR	33 min	2 hr
Dimethyl Formamide	35 min	NR	10 min	> 8 hr
Ethanol	> 8 hr	1 hr	1.5 hr	NR
Ethyl Ether	64 min	14 min	10 min	8 min
Formaldehyde, 37%	> 8 hr	80 min	2 hr	16 hr
Hexane	> 8 hr	29 min	39 min	4 min
Hydrochloric Acid, conc.	> 8 hr	NR	>8 hr	NR
Isopropanol	> 8 hr	2.5 hr	1.5 hr	NR
Methylene Chloride	NR	NR	6 min	20 min
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)	> 24 hr	12 min	22 min	> 6 hr
Nitric Acid, conc.	NR	NR	2 hr	NR
Phenol	> 8 hr	2.5 hr	3 hr	> 20 hr
Sodium Hydroxide, 50%	> 8 hr	NR	> 8 hr	NR
Sulfuric Acid, conc.	NR	3 hr	3 hr	NR
Tetrahydrofuran	NR	NR	NR	NR	use PVA
Trichloroethane	90 min	52 min	27 min	NR
Toluene	10 min	19 min	6 min	21 min
Xylene	75 min	23 min	23 min	NR

PVA = Polyvinyl Alcohol, a special-use glove that provides good protection against many solvents, but dissolves in water! Therefore, it is not recommended for general laboratory use.

NR = Not Recommended

• Latex gloves do not provide adequate protection from most chemicals
• Remember that no glove is good for an indefinite period of time.
• Check gloves after each use for degradation, tears, punctures, or swelling.
• If there is any question regarding the glove's integrity, discard it.
• Wash and dry gloves thoroughly after each use.