How to select gloves for museum collections？
Publish Time: 2020-10-15 Origin: Site
The surface of human skin is covered with residue including oils, dirt, salts, and moisture. These can damage museum objects by etching, abrasion, and staining. Likewise, the surface of objects can be composed of, or treated with, materials of varying toxicity, such as pesticides. These can render the handling of these objects dangerous to human health and safety. Gloves provide a protective barrier between the object and the person handling objects and prevent the transfer of substances between the hand and the object.
How to select gloves for handling different types of materials in museum collections. It does not address interven tive conservation work. Different types of gloves are used in museums including those made of nitrile, vinyl, nylon, cotton, latex, and rubber. Each glove type has different properties that are listed in Table 1, Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Gloves.
| Glove Type | Material | Advantages | Concerns | Use to Handle |
| Nitrile | Powder-free nitrile | Disposable Safe for a wide array of objects Do not deposit residue Chemically stable; do not degrade or discolor quickly Provide impermeable barrier between object and human skin Clear indication of tears and breaks Allow a firm grip on smooth or slippery objects Low risk of allergic reaction Best choice for wide spectrum of chemicals with good solvent resistance for many chemicals Good for solvents, oils, greases, hydrocarbons and some acids . | Sulfur used as an accelerant may react and tarnish silver and other highly reactive metals. If this is a concern, use accelerant free nitrile gloves. These are available from the same sources as regular nitrile gloves. Possible allergic reaction to accelerant in nitrile. If this is a concern, use accelerant free gloves. In some cases, may not fit tightly enough to allow fine or detailed work. Avoid contact with ketones, oxidizing acids and organic compounds containing nitrogen. | Archeological collections Bone CDs Complex objects Furniture Gilded or painted wood Glass Horn Illuminated manuscripts Ivory Lacquer Leather Metal Natural history specimens Objects treated with hazardous chemicals Organic materials Paintings and miniatures Paper Photographic materials including film, negatives, slides, and prints Plaster Plastics Stone Textiles Unglazed ceramics Wallpaper Wood |
| Vinyl | Vinyl | Disposable Provide impermeable barrier between object and human skin Good for acids and bases, oils, fats, peroxides and amines Good resistance to abrasions | Risk of allergic reaction, although less than latex or rubber. Chemically unstable, Degrades and discolors swiftly. This may produce a residue that can be deposited on objects. Avoid contact with ketones and aromatic solvents. | Vinyl gloves are appropriate to handle the following objects if nitrile gloves are unavailable: Objects treated with hazardous chemicals |
| Glove Type | Material | Advantages | Concerns | Use to Handle |
| Nylon | White nylon, available with rubber friction dots | Reusable Do not leave finger marks on objects Fit more snugly than cotton gloves | Fabric can deposit lint on objects. Texture can be abrasive. Loose fit may cause handling problems. Must be washed regularly. Avoid gloves with latex friction dots; see latex or rubber and vinyl gloves. Permeable barrier: can wick sweat and oil from the skin and deposit them on the object, does not reliably protect skin from residues on the surface of the object. Not protective against chemical contaminants. | Nylon gloves are appropriate to handle the following objects If nitrile gloves are unavailabl e: Books Paper Photographic materials including film, negatives, slides, and prints CDs Paintings Wallpaper |
| Cotton | White cotton, available with rubber friction dots | Reusable Do not leave finger marks on objects | Fabric can catch on surfaces, such as splinters in wood or corrosion on iron, risking damage Fabric can leave lint on the object Texture can be abrasive Loose fit may cause handling problems. Must be washed regularly. Permeable barrier can wick sweat and oil from the skin and deposit them on the object, does not reliably protect skin from residues on the surface of the object. Not protective against chemical contaminants. Avoid gloves with friction dots; see latex or rubber and vinyl gloves. | Cotton gloves are appropriate to handle the following objects if nitrile gloves are unavailable: Books Paper CDs Paintings Wallpaper |
| Latex or Rubber | Latex or rubber, available without powder coating | Disposable Impermeable barrier Good solvent resistance for many chemicals Highly elastic, allows for a firm grip on smooth or slippery objects | Risk of allergic reaction. Both latex and rubber are chemically unstable and degrade and discolor swiftly. This may produce a residue that can be deposited on objects. Avoid contact with oils, grease, and other hydrocarbons and organic solvents. | Use for specialized conservation treatments, not for general collections handling. Consult with a conservator prior to handling objects with latex or rubber gloves. |