[dhalloway]

Hey everybody,

So I was using dichloromethane (DCM or methylene chloride) to rinse off some stuff from a NaCl plate. Some came in contact with my nitrile gloves and I felt a cold sensation, I was wearing two pairs of gloves for each hand. I heard two hypotheses - one which is that it leaked through my glove hence the cold sensation. The other was that DCM has a high vapor pressure and that when it evaporates the phase change pulls heat from the surrounding area, in this case my glove. I hands did not become irritated or receive any noticeable burns.

Anybody know how credible each claim is?

[baboom]

The DCM leaks through the gloves. I worked with it before. You didn't receive any burns because you probably weren't exposed to it for too long a time.

[dhalloway]

Do you have any suggestions on what to do? What did you do when you became exposed?

[orgopete]

Re: gloves and permeability
see links http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Lab/CHP/gloves.htm

[Borek]

The other was that DCM has a high vapor pressure and that when it evaporates the phase change pulls heat from the surrounding area

That would be my bet, many fast drying solvents do the same.

That doesn't mean it have not leaked through, I am just aiming at the source of coldness.

I don't think you have to do anything. I am not a doc, but in my experience if you will contact one you will be told "Observe yourself, if you see something wrong happens, come back". Many hours passed and you are not reporting any problems (so no acute effects), and from what you wrote exposure was minimal.