Method of Testing the Penetration of Acid Solutions Through Safety Gloves

Because they cause burns that are difficult to heal, acids are dangerous, and steps should be taken to ensure that the human skin does not come into contact with them. For this purpose safety gloves are generally used by workers who have to handle acids. Such gloves need to be tested to ensure that they are acid resistant. Standard EN 374 (European Committee for Standardization [CEN], 1993c) specifies a method of testing the permeation of liquid chemicals, on a molecular level, through glove material, but it may be difficult to ensure the fitness of the joints of a two-compartment cell, when gloves are lined with jersey. To deal with this a simple pH-meter method to test the permeation of acid and alkali solutions through safety gloves has been developed. The permeation of H₂S0₄, HCI, HN0₃, and CH₃COOH through gloves made from neoprene, nitrile, and PVC was tested. This method seems to be simple and economical.     

Gloves against mineral oils and mechanical hazards: composites of carboxylated acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber latex

Resistance to permeation of noxious chemical substances should be accompanied by resistance to mechanical factors because the glove material may be torn, cut or punctured in the workplace. This study reports on glove materials, protecting against mineral oils and mechanical hazards, made of carboxylated acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (XNBR) latex. The obtained materials were characterized by a very high resistance of the produced materials to oil permeation (breakthrough time?>?480?min). The mechanical properties, and especially tear resistance, of the studied materials were improved after the addition of modified bentonite (nanofiller) to the XNBR latex mixture. The nanocomposite meets the requirements in terms of parameters characterizing tear, abrasion, cut and puncture resistance. Therefore, the developed material may be used for the production of multifunctional protective gloves.     

Evaluation of the flexibility of protective gloves.

Two mechanical methods have been developed for the characterization of the flexibility of protective gloves, a key factor affecting their degree of usefulness for workers. The principle of the first method is similar to the ASTM D 4032 standard relative to fabric stiffness and simulates the deformations encountered by gloves that are not tight fitted to the hand. The second method characterizes the flexibility of gloves that are worn tight fitted. Its validity was theoretically verified for elastomer materials. Both methods should prove themselves as valuable tools for protective glove manufacturers, allowing for the characterization of their existing products in terms of flexibility and the development of new ones better fitting workers' needs.     

Resistance of Medical Gloves to Permeation by Methyl Methacrylate (MMA), Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and 1,4-Butanediol Dimethacrylate (1,4-BDMA)

Gloves afford hand protection by minimizing skin contact. The effectiveness of medical gloves to protect against permeation of the monomers, methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate (1,4-BDMA), was assessed focusing on permeation rates and degradation of glove materials caused by monomer contact. Fifteen different brands of gloves were tested using a European Standard procedure. Surface images of glove materials before and after exposure to the monomer mixture were obtained using a scanning electron microscope. The standard is not applicable as the only method for estimating the safety of gloves, but it is useful as guideline together with the cumulative permeation of acrylic monomers. Monomer contact on the outside resulted in substantial swelling of most glove materials, and structure changes of the inside surface.     

Hands on explosives: Safety testing of protective measures

Several attempts have been made to test the suitability of protective measures for the handling of explosives. We investigated the suitability of safety gloves and a combined safety helmet and face shield. In the presented studies, three different experimental setups were used to simulate the effects of an explosion of a primary explosive in a glass flask on the glove or helmet protected body. Depending on the experimental setup, the fragment effects were evaluated and compared. Furthermore, the fragment distribution of an explosion inside a glass flask was investigated. The explosion of 1 g of lead azide in a 10 mL flask yielded approximately 14,000 glass fragments. However, most of the shards were accelerated down- and side-wards and only few upwards. Holding a flask on its neck (instead of its bottom) is therefore a simple but effective way of diminishing the risk of injury, when handling explosives. The safety helmet/face shield performed very well, by shielding the face from all fragments. Furthermore, it could be proven that DIN and EN standard testing procedures for gloves are unsuitable to simulate the effects of a respective explosion.In this article, the progress in the development of realistic testing procedures for the testing of gloves for the protection against fragmentation effects of glassware in situations involving explosions is reported and the results and methods of previous tests are summarized.     

Permeability of Medical Gloves to Mono- and Dimethacrylate Monomers in Dental Restorative Materials

Dental personnel manually handle methacrylate-based restorative materials, which can cause skin irritation and allergies. The protection given by different types of medical gloves is not well known. Breakthrough time (BTT, min) was used as a measure of protection according to a European standard, using 2 test mixtures consisting of respectively 3 and 5 monomers. Fourteen gloves representing natural rubber latex, synthetic rubber, and synthetic polymeric material were tested. The BTT ranged from some minutes to more than 2 hrs for the 4 monomers with a molecular mass less than 300. The longest protection was recorded for Nitra Touch (nitrile rubber), Tactylon (synthetic rubber), and Metin (PVC).     

鱼体中硝基苯残留量测定方法的改进研究

为了监测自然水体中鱼体内硝基苯的残留量,对硝基苯的环境污染程度做出准确的评估,试验优化了鱼体中硝基苯残留量的测定方法.在比较索氏提取法和水蒸气蒸馏提取法的基础上,采用改进的水蒸气蒸馏提取法,结合苯反萃取,最后用气相色谱法检测,最终形成了改进后的鱼体中硝基苯残留量的检测方法.与索氏提取法和水蒸气蒸馏提取法相比,该方法所需时间短、有机溶剂消耗量少、操作简便、回收率高.在质量比3.0～500.0μg·kg~(-1)内线性关系良好,线性方程为Y=0.161 3X-0.527 8,r=0.999 9.方法检出限为3 μg·kg~(-1),加标同收率为75%～110%,相对标准偏差为3.64%～6.13%.结果证明该方法适用于鱼体中硝基苯残留量的检测.     

多功能内层手套的研制

本文针对隔绝式防毒手套存在透气性、舒适性较差以及保温功能不佳等问题,研制了一种新型多功能内层手套,提高了防毒手套的舒适性和安全性。     

The Effect of Protective Gloves on Manual Dexterity in the Cold Environments

This article presents a study on the effect of different protective gloves (which are commercially available and commonly used in the cold) on manual dexterity in cold environments. The experiments compared statistically four different types of gloves and two different types of gloving (outer or double) at +19 °C and -10 °C. Performance was determined both objectively and subjectively using two manual dexterity tasks: bolt-nut and pick-up tasks. The response measured was the time of performing each task. Statistical analysis showed that all independent factors such as glove type, participant, object size, and temperature had significant effects on the hand cooling reaction. A significant difference in the performance between the gloves was found in the bolt-nut task. It was also found that outer-inner combination gloving may be an approach to use for precision tasks.     

Anhydrous ethanol production by extractive distillation: A solvent case study

Production of anhydrous ethanol in large scale has been made by extractive distillation using conventional solvents like ethylene-glycol. In the present paper, extractive distillation process is studied to obtain pure ethanol using ethylene-glycol and tetraethylene-glycol as solvents. Residue curve maps are used to analyse the proposed distillation processes in interpreting mixture behaviours and feasibility of distillation columns. The industrial process is simulated at steady state from residue curve map analysis. Simulation results for the ethanol/water mixture using ethylene-glycol, the conventional solvent, and tetraethylene-glycol, an alternative solvent, are presented. These results showed that the process using tetraethylene-glycol is reliable, although it requires more energy than the process with ethylene-glycol. However, ethylene-glycol has a considerable toxicity level while tetraethylene-glycol is non-toxic.     

Examining the effectiveness of anti-vibration gloves with a neural network

Whether anti-vibration gloves are effective in protecting against vibrations depends not only on the materials they are made of, but also on the parameters of the source of vibration. Depending on those parameters, the effectiveness of the same means of protection may be radically different. This article presents a methodology of using a neural network to test anti-vibration gloves. A network can map gloves in various conditions, i.e., for vibrations of various amplitudes and spectra, and for various forces exerted by the worker on a tool. Real, measured vibration signals produced by different tools were used in training a neural network. The results presented in this article prove that real properties of gloves are accurately represented by their models developed as a result of training a neural network.     

基于层次分析法的电缆燃烧性能综合指标评价体系

目前对于电缆燃烧性能评价方法大多采用延燃性作为单一评价指标,但是电缆的燃烧性能还应包括生烟性、毒性和腐蚀性等方面.国内外大量试验证明锥形量热计试验结果与全尺寸试验结果相关性较好,利用锥形量热计对真实火灾情况下电缆燃烧性能进行评价较为合理.本文在锥形量热计燃烧试验基础上,构建了电缆燃烧性能综合指标评价体系,并运用层次分析法确定各指标的权重.该体系为电缆燃烧性能评价研究提供一种新的尝试,也可为以后的阻燃电缆分级体系建立提供一些参考.     

Inherently safer design of solvent processes at the conceptual stage: Practical application for substitution

The implementation of inherently safer design concepts is considered beneficial to avoid hazards during early stages of design. The application of existing process design and modeling techniques that aid ‘substitution’, ‘intensification’ and ‘attenuation’ has been shown in this work. The techniques have been applied to solvent processes because of the inherent hazards associated with them, such as large inventories, and presence of highly toxic and flammable materials. For ‘substitution’, computer aided molecular design technique has been applied to select inherently safer solvents for a solvent operation. For ‘intensification’ and ‘attenuation’, consequence models and regulatory guidance from EPA RMP have been integrated into process simulation. Combining existing techniques provides a design team with a higher level of information to make decisions based on process safety. A case study has been shown for liquid extraction of acetic acid–water mixture. Suitable solvents were identified using ICAS 11.0-ProCAMD, and consequence models were integrated into Aspen plus simulator using a calculator sheet. Solvents such as 5-nonanone, 2-nonanone and 5-methyl-2-hexanone provide inherently safer options, but conventionally-used solvent, ethyl acetate, provides higher degree of separation capability. A conclusive decision regarding feasible solvents and operating conditions would depend on design requirements, regulatory guidance, and safety criteria specified for the process. Inherent safety has always been an important consideration to be implemented during early design steps, and this paper presents a methodology to incorporate the principles and to obtain inherently safer alternatives.     

Optimizing safety-constrained solvent selection for process systems with economic uncertainties

Solvents are very commonly used in industrial facilities for a multitude of reasons. Traditionally, solvent selection has been based on minimizing the process operating cost while satisfying a set of operational requirements. Regrettably, safety considerations have typically been overlooked during the design phase. In this paper, a systematic approach is introduced to integrate safety issues into solvent selection and provides a computationally effective method for establishing tradeoffs between the economic and safety objectives. In order to quantify the risk associated with the solvent, we focus on the potential spillage of the solvent and introduce a risk index that is a function of the amount of solvent used and stored, as well as the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) dictated by regulatory directives. An optimization formulation is developed and the associated mathematical program solved to select optimal solvents and blends while incorporating economic, technical, and safety considerations. Tradeoff (Pareto) curves are developed to represent the multi-objective optimization results and tradeoffs. Furthermore, economic-data uncertainty and variability over expected ranges are included in the optimization formulation to conduct an insightful sensitivity analysis. Finally, an illustrative case study is considered via increasing levels of complexity in order to evaluate the proposed optimization method which considers both operating cost and safety risk implications in the presence of economic uncertainties.     

Tools for an enhanced solvent properties screening in the early stages of pharmaceutical process development

The objective of this research was the implementation of tools for the evaluation of solvents trough property screening in the early stages of process development. An important feature of the tools is that the implementation of indexes, scores, or weights is avoided. Information already available from the literature was stored in a database in order to turn raw data into decision making information. As a result, a solvent radar chart, a solvent representation table, and a solvent telescopying tool were developed in an ASP.NET application. The synthesis of Propranolol was used as study case in order to explore the selection of solvents in the early stages of process development. The replacement of diethyl ether was possible in the extraction step, while solvent choices were detected for potential telescoping for extraction and crystallisation steps. Solubility was found as a critical parameter in telescoping analysis. The methodology proposed enhanced the view towards a more holistic perspective and a more robust solvent screening process. As a consequence, the next steps into solvent evaluation and process development can be reduced.     

电石公路运输事故特征与安全条件的研究

基于电石生产销售实际以及公路运输特征,笔者系统研究了电石公路运输应该具备的道路条件、人员条件、车辆条件、包装条件、仓储条件、自然条件、装卸条件、承运与交付条件;提出了电石道路运输耐压力、耐冲击、耐震动、耐水、耐低气压的实验设计;分析了电石公路运输事故的主要原因并结合电石公路运输事故中典型的火灾事故的特征;给出了电石火灾的水泥罐车灭火方法以及电石运输事故的紧急救援预案。     

晋普山煤矿通风系统阻力测定与分析

矿井通风系统阻力测定是煤矿通风技术管理的重要内容,阻力的大小直接影响矿井的通风效果,笔者介绍了矿井通风阻力测定常用的几种方法,分别评述了其优缺点及适用条件,并根据晋普山煤矿通风系统实际情况,选用基点法对其通风阻力进行了测定,全面、准确地掌握了全矿井通风阻力分布情况,为今后进行通风系统调整,提供了有参考价值的基础数据资料。同时依据测定结果,对晋普山煤矿通风系统进行了合理分析。     

Fuel recovery from waste oily sludge using solvent extraction

Solvent extraction was used to recover oil from waste sludge generated from the storage of crude petroleum. Different solvent-to-sludge mass ratios were used for two solvents, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and LPG condensate (LPGC). Several parameters were compared, such as oil recovery as a percent of the original sludge mass, and reduction in carbon residue, ash content, and asphaltene content. A 4:1 solvent-to-sludge ratio was found to be optimum for both solvents. The MEK extraction recovered 39% by mass of the sludge as recovered oil. The LPGC recovered 32%. The amount of asphaltenes in the fuel oil was related to the concentration of fuel oil in the solvent phase during the extraction, suggesting that asphaltenes are extracted mainly by the fuel oil components, not the solvent. The physical properties and metal content of the recovered oil were measured. The recovered oil was distilled to provide diesel fuel. This diesel fuel contained high levels of sulfur and carbon residue, as well as a high diesel index, indicating the fuel requires further treatment prior to use as a fuel.     

有风条件下火灾自然排烟的临界失效风速分析

采用双区模拟思想对有风条件下室内火灾自然补气、自然排烟过程进行分析。引入"总风压系数"和"临界失效风速"的概念,并将其作为评价外界环境风对自然排烟过程影响程度的判定参数。总风压系数非负时,外界风的存在将提高自然排烟的效果;总风压系数为负时,外界风的存在将降低自然排烟的效果,甚至使自然排烟失效。通过对排烟口内外压差以及气体流动进行分析,发现临界失效风速正比于总风压系数绝对值的-1/2次幂,并给出了不同条件下自然排烟临界失效风速的计算方法。实际采用自然排烟方式进行火灾排烟时,应尽量避免出现总风压系数为负的情形,以防止自然排烟的失效。     

Safety assessment of potential supercritical solvents for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis

Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is a primary pathway for gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology. In order to overcome commercial problems associated with reaction and transport phenomena, the use of supercritical solvents has been proposed to enhance conversion, catalyst stability and improve temperature control in fixed-bed reactors. One of the major challenges in designing the supercritical FTS reactor unit is selecting appropriate solvents of critical properties within the required reaction operating conditions. Numerous alternatives exist and should be screened based on relevant criteria. The main aim of this paper is to develop a screening methodology to identify an optimum supercritical solvent or a mixture of solvents that meet the aforementioned criteria while minimizing the cost and more importantly satisfying the safety constraints. A safety metric system was developed in order to compare the risk issues associated with using different solvents. In addition, an economic analysis of using the different solvents was performed. Finally, a case study was solved to illustrate the use of the proposed metrics and the selection of solvents based on safety and techno-economic criteria.