Nitrile gloves have grown in popularity in recent years for many reasons. Besides being an excellent alternative to latex gloves, they also have many positive benefits.
For instance, nitrile gloves are oil resistant.
Let’s break this down a bit more.
Nitrile gloves are resistant to oils in the body.
The human body naturally produces and secretes oil (also known as sebum) to keep our skin moisturized.
That’s why nitrile gloves are great for healthcare applications: They are resistant to human body oils.
Nitrile gloves are resistant to fixed oils often used in food service, cosmetic, and healthcare settings.
Think of the many kinds of oils in your kitchen and your bathroom cabinets: olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil…. These are all known as fixed oils because they don’t evaporate.
As a result, nitrile gloves are good to don in food service, cosmetic, and healthcare settings since they often use these four kinds of fixed oils.
If you want to ensure that the specific nitrile gloves that you’re evaluating offer chemical resistance to fixed oils, we recommend that you access Omni’s chemical compatibility chart on our website.
For example, if you look at our chemical compatibility chart, you’ll see that our nitrile gloves have an “E” for “Excellent” rating next to two main chemicals found in fixed oils:
- Glycerides
- Oleic acid (found in olive oil)
Nitrile gloves are resistant to petroleum.
Petroleum is a third kind of oil that occurs in liquid, solid, and gaseous forms and produces many different kinds of products we use in our everyday lives.
When it comes to disposal glove usage, workers will likely encounter the following kinds of petroleum-based products to which nitrile gloves can be resistant:
- Petroleum jelly (ex.: Vaseline)
- Paraffin wax (used in polishes, cosmetics, wax paper, candles, and electrical insulators)
- Ink
- Nylons
- Ammonia
- Crayons
- Anesthetics
- Cold cream
- Detergents
- Toothpaste
So, how can you know if the nitrile gloves that you’re evaluating are resistant to any of the kinds of petroleum-based products listed above?
We first suggest that you consult with the glove company’s chemical compatibility chart and look for specific chemicals like petroleum ethers.
A petroleum ether is a petroleum distillation fraction (i.e., a separated part of a chemical mixture) used in oils, fats, or waxes as a nonpolar solvent.
If you look at our chemical compatibility chart, you will see that Omni’s nitrile gloves have a “G” rating for “Excellent or Good” next to petroleum ethers (80-110° Celsius, or 176-230° Fahrenheit).
Conclusion
For the most comprehensive information about nitrile gloves and their resistance to different kinds of oil, we recommend that you consult with an Omni representative to find the right nitrile glove for you or your customers.
And for more information about gloves, we invite you to head over to our FAQ page!
Or are you ready to purchase or sample nitrile gloves? Check out our products here!