Swelling of Protective Gloves in Commercial TiO2 Nanoparticles Colloidal Solutions

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles enter in the composition of numerous manufactured products such as sunscreens or paints for example and their use seems today inescapable. Some of them are delivered in colloidal solutions to reduce aerolization risks. However, elastomers used in the manufacture of protective gloves may be sensitive to the action of solvents employed as liquid carriers in these commercial nanoparticles solutions. Effects may involve the swelling of the polymer by the solvent. If the solvent emerges on the inner side of the protective glove, it may carry nanoparticles with it, thus facilitating their penetration through gloves. This work aims at studying the swelling of four elastomers used in protective gloves when immersed in TiO2 colloidal solutions as well as in technical and ultra-pure solvents corresponding to the liquid carriers used in the nanoparticles solutions. The study involves latex, neoprene, nitrile and butyl rubber gloves and three commercial TiO2 colloidal solutions in water, 1,2-propanediol and 1,2-ethanediol. The swelling behaviour was assessed by mass gain and length change measurements. It was observed that the studied solutions have a significant swelling effect on nitrile rubber, latex and neoprene. On the other hand, no effect was measured with butyl rubber. As revealed by the non-negligible swelling recorded even for short immersion times, a possibility exists for a liquid carrier-mediated penetration of TiO2 nanoparticles through these protective gloves. These results are in agreement with preliminary measurements showing by chemical analysis of sampling solutions a possible penetration of TiO2 nanoparticles through gloves when in colloidal solutions. This demonstrates that great care must be taken when selecting protective gloves for handling nanoparticles in solutions.