Glove dosimeters

Hand exposures of mixer-loader/applicator and re-entry workers have been measured using a variety of techniques in the past. The most common methods are using gloves as dosimeters and washing the hands with various solvents post-exposure. 

Many types of matrices have been used in the past to measure the field stability of the test substance. Cotton gloves, cellulose patches, face wipe handkerchiefs and/or gauze face wipe matrices, long underwear (inner dosimeters), pants, shirts, coveralls (outer dosimeters), sorbent tubes, urine, and other matrices are common matrices that have been used for this purpose. 

Volunteers wore either whole-body dosimeters (Sears all-cotton union suits, cotton socks, and cotton gloves) or bathing suits, which exposed at least 75%... 

Potential dermal exposure (PDE) was the sum of the amount of chlorpyrifos retained by the dosimeter (socks, gloves, and union suit) during the 20-min exposure period. Absorbed daily dose (ADD) was the sum of chlorpyrifos equivalents measured in urine for days 2,3, and 4. Home-use biomonitoring data are expressed as chlorpyrifos equivalents per day, as exposure continued throughout the test period. 

Be properly dressed e.g., safety eyeglasses, long pants, labcoat, closed-toe shoes, gloves (these must be appropriate for the chemical properties of radiolabeled substances), lead apron (if recommended), and wrist guards. Dosimeters must be worn in recommended locations (wrist, finger, lapel, etc.). 

Usually, the absorbed dose estimated by using biomonitoring methods is less than that estimated by using passive dosimeters, hand rinses or gloves, as illustrated by Krieger (1995) for strawberry harvesters. However, to be used effectively, the pharmacokinetics of the chemical need to be thoroughly understood (Worgan and Rozario, 1995). 

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