The manufacturing process of surgical and examination gloves involves, compounding the latex with ingredients such as vulcanizing agents, accelerators, activators, blockers, retarders, anti-oxidants, preservatives, stabilizers etc. Number of cases has been reported regarding glove allergies ranging from non immunogenic irritation (Type 1V) to life threatening (Type 1) hypersensitivity reactions and associated disorders. It was reported that the potential human health hazards in latex products such as gloves were due to the presence of leachable dithiocarbamate. In this study we have selected four different brands of commercially available surgical gloves for the identification of leachable dithiocarbamate and its cytotoxic potential. The glove samples were subjected to extraction and the leachable dithiocarbamate was identified and quantified by HPLC. The cytotoxic potential of the samples were evaluated by direct and test on extract method. The result of the study indicated that the main leachant was dithiocarbamate. The quantity of leachable dithiocarbamate was varying in four brands surgical gloves. Hence it was concluded that the major leachant was dithiocarbamate and the cytotoxic potential of the four surgical gloves was directly proportional to the quantity of the dithiocarbamate.
Natural rubber latex, Artificial sweat, Surgical gloves, Cytotoxicity, HPLC
