| Pigment |
|
This is an inert chemical
compound with high opacity added to color the product.
In examination gloves, titanium dioxide is commonly used
to whiten the product. |
| Pinhole |
|
This is the most crucial criterion in assessing the usefulness
of medical gloves. Pinholes are minute holes in gloves
that are detected using air or water. |
| Powdered |
|
Gloves require some means to prevent
adhesion internally as well as between them. Powder is
the most common way to achieve this objective. Currently
USP grade absorbable cornstarch is the most popular glove
powder in use. Most manufacturers are refining their processes
to ensure minimum powder usage while retaining the ease
of donning. Over powdering has been implicated in the spread
of allergenic latex protein by air. Other than cornstarch,
oat starch is also used in certain brands. |
| Powder-free |
|
In view of objection to powder usage
on gloves by some users, new processes are developed to
achieve adhesion prevention by avoiding powder usage completely.
This leads to a class of glove product described as powder-free.
Presently, powder-free gloves are either made through chlorination,
polymer coating or silicone treatment. Since powder-free
gloves are made using additional processes and materials,
they are naturally most costly than powdered gloves. |
| Residual Powder |
|
Residual powder measures the excess powder beyond what
is required. Unfortunately current tests do not measure
this accurately, as there are many variables to consider.
Currently the test measures total powder extractable in
water. |
| Sensitivity |
|
Putting on gloves means a loss of tactile
sensitivity as a barrier comes between the fingers and
the object. This is unavoidable since the function of gloves
is to confer protection. A good glove minimizes the degree
of loss of touch and a good close fit always allows a greater
degree of sensitivity. In this regard, latex gloves of
the right size give superior sensitivity than, say, vinyl. |
| Sensitization |
|
The process of developing allergic reaction to latex
proteins found on some gloves. Sensitization is irreversible. |
| Smooth |
|
Texture of gloves made from smooth surfaced molds. |
| Tensile Strength |
|
A measure of the strength of glove
when stretched. A ‘soft’ glove tends to have
low tensile strength, so is one that is not well vulcanized. |
| Textured |
|
If the molds used to produce the gloves are roughened,
the gloves will acquire a rough or textured surface on
the side in contact with the molds. Texturing will give
a better grip of the object, enhancing the form-fitting
feature of the glove. |
| Thickness |
|
This is measured on a single wall using
a micrometer over several parts of the glove, typically
at the cuff, the mid-palm and the finger sections. The
minimum thickness is 0.08mm as required by the ASTM D3578
standard specification for rubber examination gloves. |
