Disposable gloves are essential for maintaining a clean and sterile laboratory environment. Disposable gloves act as a protective barrier from chemical contact and are also indispensable for limiting potential contamination of samples. However, all disposable gloves tend to leave behind residues, which can affect the cleanliness of the surfaces the gloves touch, and thus possibly affect the analytical results. To avoid mistaking glove residue for sample chemistry, it is vital to understand its composition. To this end, we examined glove residues from three types of commonly used nitrile gloves and one latex glove using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS).

In addition to investigating the residues, we also evaluated the glove composition using a combination of FTIR and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). We also attempted to remove the glove residue using soap or 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA). We then compared the concentrations of volatile and semi-volatile species before and after washing. Overall, this study provides some useful information on residues and volatiles left behind by disposable gloves and the best measures to avoid or reduce this contamination.