Are Rubber Gloves Marketed as Accelerator-Free Truly Free of Accelerators?

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Allergic contact dermatitis to rubber accelerators in gloves has been well described in the literature. In response to this, glove manufacturers have recently marketed "accelerator-free" gloves. Little research has been done, to confirm whether these gloves are truly free from the accelerators known to cause contact dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of the study was to verify use of accelerators in reportedly accelerator-free/low-dermatitis-potential gloves.

METHODS:

A total of 16 commercially available medical gloves touted as "accelerator-free," "sensitive," or "low dermatitis potential" were obtained and analyzed via mass spectrometry (liquid chromatography heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography heated electrospray high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry) to determine whether any of the 9 known rubber accelerators were present (thiurams, carbamates, mercaptobenzothiazole, and diphenylguanidine).

RESULTS:

Despite marketing claims to the contrary, all tested gloves had at least 1 accelerant detected. Dipentamethylenethiuram disulfide, a thiuram, was found in all 16 gloves. Half of the gloves (8/16) contained more than 1 accelerator, with 1 glove having 5 rubber accelerators present.

CONCLUSION:

Patients with allergic contact dermatitis to accelerators should be aware potentially sensitizing accelerators may be present in gloves that are reported to not contain them.

• Authors: Makenzie E Pillsbury, Sanna Ronkainen, Molly Goodier, Sara A Hylwa
• Journal: Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug (Dermatitis) 2020 Mar/Apr Vol. 31 Issue 2 Pg. 128-133 ISSN: 2162-5220 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32168144 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Retracted Publication)