[BigBen]

Does anyone have any ideas as to what might turn nitrile gloves brown that would be found in  chlorinated well water? When the gloves are used under the water for several hours at a time they take on a brown tinge. I have had the water checked for iron and it passes National Drinking Water Potability tests.

[Mitch]

SOCl2?

[Alpha-Omega]

This is usually caused by the chemical reaction between your skin and the gloves.

Before putting on gloves, your hands might come in contact with copper, iron or metal material, such as coins, or you may have heavy acidic perspiration in your hands.

This can usually cause brown stains when wearing gloves. These brown stains do not affect the barrier properties of gloves.

[BigBen]

So, the brown stains on the outside of the gloves can be caused by acidic substances such as perspiration or metals such as iron or copper? It seems to be an intermittent problem. I am not concerned so much for the protection of my hands as I am about whatever it is that is turning the gloves brown having other affects. For instance, since this is my drinking water, am I ingesting something that might be harmful over the long term?

Are there any specific tests I can have performed outside of the basic ones performed by the health dept?

[Alpha-Omega]

That information I posted is actually provided by the manufacturers of nitrile gloves on their sites. I have heard of this before.  Have you tried going to the manufacturer site and checking their section on "common questions asked by customers.?"

Analogous situation for people analyzing drinking water using IC:  I just opened a new box of vials.  When I do my drinking water analyses I have high levels of sodium, magnesium, and chloride.  Are my vials contaminated...I want another lot...OK 3 lots later...still same problem...then after a bit of work..

RESULT: 
Where do you eat lunch? 
McDonalds....
Do you eat fries? 
Yes..
Do you wear gloves when you pull the vials prep yur stds and samples and set up your runs?
NO....
Soure of contamination...(the interface/analyst)

(Let me also add that the enclosed instructions that came with the vials explaining they should be thoroughly rinsed prior to analysis were not being followed).  Either they were not read or they were overlooked.

If there is a contamination issue (e.g. change in any aspect of result) where there was not one before always try to eliminate/rule out any step or part of the procedure that might involve human error...anything touched by the interface/analyst is/should be subject to inquiry.  This suggestion is based purely on experience.


USGS and EPA requirements for cleaning sampling equipment or "clean hands" water quality and aquatic sampling call for non-powdered disposable gloves. Both organic and inorganic compounds sampling protocol allows for latex gloves while organic compounds also can use nitrile gloves and inorganic compounds can use vinyl gloves.

EPA:  http://www.epa.gov/

USGS:  http://www.usgs.gov/

Check the website of the manufacturer of the gloves.  Also, the EPA and USGS site may give you additional information.