Those who use disposable gloves for their profession have often asked themselves this question.
Disposable nitrile gloves and latex gloves are considered the best solutions for professional uses.Depending on the purpose, however, it is preferable to rely on a specific material.
__KEEP_0__ offers a wide range of disposable gloves of both types,suitable for every need.
Differences between latex and nitrile gloves: the materials
The gloves in natural latex (derived from the rubber tree) have good resistance to punctures and tears.
Latex is an emulsion with a milky appearance and a colloidal consistency, generally white in colour,but it can also be yellow, orange or red. It is found in specific cells (the laticifers) of many plants and in the fungi of the genera Lactarius, Lactifluus and Multifurca furcata.
Latex, moreover, may contain alkaloids, proteins and other substances depending on the plant species that produces it.Hevea Brasiliensis is the plant from which the most valuable latex is obtained.
This plant is found in Asian tropical forests, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.Natural latex is also obtained from other plants, such as Hevea Guianensis and Hevea Benthamiana.
The natural material with greater elasticity is rubber isolated from latex,as it has the natural and instantaneous characteristic of resuming its original conformation after being compressed or stretched.
The nitrile gloves, however, are composed of AcryloNitrile and Butadine,compound also called NBR or Nitrile Buthadiene Rubber.
Nitrile is treated and processed in a liquid state differently from PVC (vinyl) which derives from plastic granules.
Nitrile is therefore a synthetic rubber with a lower protein content than latex, but it is more resistant to tearing;furthermore this material is very resistant to various chemicals and is safe for people allergic to latex.However, disposable nitrile gloves are the most resistant.
Specific characteristics of nitrile and latex gloves
The nitrile gloves are the best choice regarding the properties of mechanical and chemical resistance.They are in fact a particularly solid solution, but at the same time one that guarantees excellent sensitivity, elasticity and ergonomics.
This is due to the thickness of nitrile gloves, which ensures greater mechanical resistance than that of latex gloves,easily punctured if brought into contact with chemicals.
Given the absence of latex, they can also be safely used by subjects allergic to this component.They are ideal for those who work in contact with food and as protection from chemicals and body substances.
The latex gloves are particularly appreciated, however, for their quality/price ratio.Despite having a lower cost than other disposable gloves, they stand out for their characteristics of sensitivity, waterproofness, elasticity, but also for being biodegradable, and therefore easily disposable.
However, they are not suitable for use in the food sector,as the proteins of this substance could cause allergies if they are deposited on food.
On the contrary, nitrile gloves exclude this risk and are also more ergonomic and comfortable than the former.
In terms of costs,nitrile is more expensive than latex as it requires more difficult processing.
Use of latex and nitrile gloves.Are there particular activities for which one type of glove is better than the other?
The disposable latex gloves are preferably used by those who work in contact with biological substances due to their high impermeability.
They are frequently worn by dentists and doctors for theirelasticity, as the rubber immediately takes on the shape of the hand and returns to its original shape.
Their use is also preferred by those who work in the field of aesthetics or the production of drugs and cosmetics,due to the low chemical resistance.
There are also surgical latex gloves, generally sterile. Chlorination is used to help the gloves fit without the use of powder.This treatment has an impact on some beneficial characteristics of the latex, but decreases the number of allergenic latex proteins, although it cannot eliminate them completely.A double glove is often used in the medical field,to decrease the risk of infection or perforation of gloves by sharp objects during medical interventions.
In general therefore latex gloves can be used for:
- Medical-hospital treatments
- Home cleaning
- Do-it-yourself projects andgardening
- Treatment of alcohol substances
The disposable nitrile gloves instead ensure greater resistance, and are therefore more suitable in all those professions where the risk of laceration increases, therefore also in the medical-hospital sector.
Furthermore,nitrile allows you to safely handle even aggressive chemical solvents and is safe for individuals allergic to latex, as well as for the preparation of food for people who may be allergic.
Another very important feature is that, unlike latex gloves,nitrile gloves open quickly when punctured, allowing the user to quickly detect possible contact risk, for example,with chemicals.
Is it better to use powder-free or powdered gloves? And the size?
For products such as disposable gloves in latex or nitrile it is specified whether or not they contain powder. In the past, it was a simple talc to help the glove fit by mitigating friction.Today the material used as powder is mainly corn starch.
The modern materials used still facilitate the correct and adherent fit of the glove even without the use of powder,and have increasingly low prices.
The powder is still used for those who have excessive sweating of the hands, where it performs an absorbent function that counteracts the concentration of humidity in the glove,cause of unpleasant sensations.
A contraindication is that corn starch can take on the form of micro-prisms which can irritate the skin causing dermatitis and other allergic reactions.In recent years, consumers are increasingly moving towards the use of powder-free disposable gloves.
In professions linked to the preparation of food or medical products the choice of disposable powder-free gloves is certainly preferable.There are also special processes, such as chlorination, which make the glove satiny and therefore make it easier to put on even in the absence of dust.
When choosing a disposable glove, whether latex or vinyl,the measurement is also very important.
The measurement of the hand means the circumference at the widest point of the palm, i.e. the one at the base of the fingers excluding the thumb.
The measurements can be expressed in letters (the classic sizes) or even in numbers,according to this scheme:
- XS – size 6 – 152 mm
- S – size 7 – 178 mm
- M – size 8 – 203 mm
- L – size 9 – 229 mm
- XL – size 10 – 254 mm
- XXL – size 11 – 297 mm
Another important aspect is the length of the gloves,which generally does not extend beyond the base of the wrist, but there are also longer models on the market, which reach mid-forearm or just below the elbow, especially useful in certain work environments.
