Latex Glove Permeability

["Sue M. Dupre" <DUPRE%PUCC.bitnet@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>]

One of our researchers has just started using 5 mCi of P-32 as phosphoric acid
to synthesize triphosphates.  Previously he ordered the triphosphates directly
from the vendor in quantities of 0.25 - 1 mCi.  Within the course of the last
week, there have been three minor cases of hand contamination in this lab, all
of which occurred during use of several millicuries of the synthesized tri-
phoshate.  In two of the cases, the researcher was double-gloved and in the
third case, the researcher was triple-gloved and working with great care,
because she knew about the previous incidents.  The researchers had available
to them the standard latex surgical gloves normally worn for isotope work.
We've contacted the vendor looking for information and insights.  I'm wonder-
ing if you've had similar experiences and can offer any thoughts concerning
our problem.  Are there compounds normally found in the lab which when used in
conjunction with radioactivity will increase latex glove permeability and
result in hand contamination?  For example, is it possible that compounds such
as RadCon could affect glove permeability?

Thanks for any help and advice you can offer.

Sue Dupre/Health Physicist/Princeton University
dupre@princeton.edu         (609)258-6252