Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

In vitro evaluation of the efficacy of skin barrier creams and protective gloves on percutaneous absorption of industrial solvents

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of the experiments was to evaluate the efficacy of skin barrier creams (SBCs) and protective gloves and its potential for reduction of percutaneous absorption of industrial solvents.

Methods

We assessed percutaneous absorption of ethylene glycol (EG), isopropyl alcohol (IA) and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB), using static diffusion cells. These solvents were applied neat (EG, TMB) as well as in 10% and 50% aqueous solution (EG, IA) or in 10% and 50% ethanol-diluted solution (TMB). Furthermore, we tested the percutaneous absorption of IA mixed in one cleaning agent (CA), used in newspaper printing shops to clean the rollers of printing machines. Additionally, the penetration behaviour of 10% and 50% solutions of EG, IA and TMB was tested. The experiments were carried out on untreated and on SBC-treated excised human skin from one donor, and on protective gloves. Saline was used as receptor fluid for EG and IA, and neat ethanol for TMB.

Results

The penetration of 50% EG, IA and TMB solutions through SBC-treated skin was higher than in untreated skin (factor 3.9 for EG, 0.32 for IA and 0.06 for TMB). The penetration of IA in the IA–CA mixture was five-times higher through untreated skin as for the single compound in 10% aqueous solution. In skin, treated with SBC, we found a 17-fold penetration enhancement of IA in the IA–CA mixture. No appreciable penetration of EG and IA was observed through nitrile rubber gloves.

Conclusions

Our in vitro experiments could not demonstrate an efficacy of SBC to protect skin penetration for the tested solvents. The percutaneous absorption of all solvents in 50% solution was increased through skin treated with SBCs. Furthermore, SBCs enhance the penetration rates of solvents from complex mixtures compared with the single solvents. The tested gloves showed sufficient protection for the hydrophilic solvents, but not for TMB.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angerer J, Schaller KH (eds) (1994) DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Analyses of hazardous substances in biological materials, vol 4. VCH, Weinheim

  • Benfeldt E, Serup J, Menne T (1999) Effect of barrier perturbation on cutaneous salicylic acid penetration in human skin: in vivo pharmacokinetics using microdialysis and non-invasive quantification of barrier function. Br J Dermatol 140:739–748

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berndt U, Hinnen U, Iliev D, Elsner P (2000a) Hand eczema in metalworker trainees—an analysis of risk factors. Contact Dermatitis 43:327–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Berndt U, Wigger-Alberti W, Gabard B, Elsner P (2000b) Efficacy of a barrier cream and its vehicle as protective measures against occupational irritant contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 42:77–80

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boman A, Mellström G (1989) Percutaneous absorption of 3 organic solvents in the guinea pig. (III). Effect of barrier creams. Contact Dermatitis 21:134–140

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boman A, Wahlberg JE, Johansson G (1982) A method for the study of the effect of barrier creams and protective gloves on the percutaneous absorption of solvents. Dermatologica 164:157–160

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bronaugh RL, Stewart RF, Simon M (1986a) Methods for in vitro percutaneous absorption studies. VII: Use of excised human skin. J Pharm Sci 75:1094–1097

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bronaugh RL, Weingarten DP, Lowe NJ (1986b) Differential rates of percutaneous absorption through the eczematous and normal skin of a monkey. J Invest Dermatol 87:451–453

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diepgen TL, Coenrads PJ (1999) The epidemiology of occupational contact dermatitis. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 72:496–506

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Franz TJ (1975) Percutaneous absorption on the relevance of in vitro data. J Invest Dermatol 64:190–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Goh CL, Gan SL (1994) Efficacies of a barrier cream and an afterwork emollient cream against cutting fluid dermatitis in metalworkers: a prospective study. Contact Dermatitis 31:176–180

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guillemin M, Murset JC, Lob M, Riquez J (1974) Simple method to determine the efficiency of a cream used for skin protection against solvents. Br J Ind Med 31:310–316

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison SM, Barry BW, Dugard PH (1984) Effects of freezing on human skin permeability. J Pharm Pharmacol 36:261–262

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jemec GB, Na R, Wulf HC (2000) The inherent capacitance of moisturising creams: a source of false positive results? Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol 13:182–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Larese Filon F, Fiorito A, Adami G, Barbieri P, Coceani N, Bussani R, Reisenhofer E (1999) Skin absorption in vitro of glycol ethers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 72:480–484

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Letzel S, Gündel J, Schaller KH, Angerer J (2000) Biomonitoring von Glykolbelasteten Personen—Kapillargaschromatographische Bestimmung von Ethylenglykol und 1,2-Propylenglykol im Harn (in German). Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Umwelt-med 35:160–162

  • Lodén M (1986) The effect of 4 barrier creams on the absorption of water, benzene, and formaldehyde into excised human skin. Contact Dermatitis 14:292–296

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mellström GA, Boman A (1992) Comparative evaluation of permeation testing of protective gloves to solvents: in vitro in permeation cells versus in vivo in guinea pigs. Contact Dermatitis 26:120–127

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nangia A, Camel E, Berner B, Maibach H (1993) Influence of skin irritants on percutaneous absorption. Pharm Res 10:1756–1759

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pigatto PD, Bigardi AS, Legori A, Altomare GF, Finzi AF (1992) Are barrier creams of any use in contact dermatitis? Contact Dermatitis 26:197–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinnagoda J, Tupker RA, Agner T, Serup J (1990) Guidelines for transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement. A report from the Standardization Group of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 22:164–178

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sartorelli P, Andersen HR, Angerer J, Corish J, Drexler H, Goen T, Griffin P, Hotchkiss SA, Larese F, Montomoli L, Perkins J, Schmelz M, van de Sandt J, Williams F (2000) Percutaneous penetration studies for risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 8:133–152

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schnetz E, Diepgen TL, Elsner P, Frosch PJ, Klotz AJ, Kresken J, Kuss O, Merk H, Schwanitz HJ, Wigger-Alberti W, Fartasch M (2000) Multicentre study for the development of an in vivo model to evaluate the influence of topical formulations on irritation. Contact Dermatitis 42:336–343

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van der Bijl P, van Eyk AD, Cilliers J, Stander IA (2000) Diffusion of water across human skin in the presence of two barrier creams. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol 13:104–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Bijl P, Gareis A, Lee H, van Eyk AD, Stander IA, Cilliers J (2002) Effects of two barrier creams on the diffusion of benzo[a]pyrene across human skin. J Dent Assoc S Afr (SADJ) 57:49–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Verbeek JH, van Dijk FJ, Malmivaara A, Hulshof CT, Räsänen K, Kankaanpää EE, Mukala K (2002) Evidence-based medicine for occupational health. Scand J Work Environ Health 28:197–204

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Washitake M, Anmo T, Tanaka I, Arita T, Nakano M (1975) Percutaneous absorption of drugs. IV. Percutaneous absorption of drugs from oily vehicles. J Pharm Sci 64:397–401

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wulfhorst B, Schwanitz HJ (1994) Zur Wirksamkeit von Hautschutzpräparaten (in German). Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Umweltmed 29:84–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhai H, Maibach HI (1996) Effect of barrier creams: human skin in vivo. Contact Dermatitis 35:92–96

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The authors thank the Hauptverband der gewerblichen Berufsgenossenschaften (Central organ of the German statutory accident prevention and insurance institutions in industry) in St. Augustin, Germany, and the Berufsgenossenschaft Druck und Papierverarbeitung in Wiesbaden, Germany, for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Korinth.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Korinth, G., Geh, S., Schaller, K.H. et al. In vitro evaluation of the efficacy of skin barrier creams and protective gloves on percutaneous absorption of industrial solvents. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 76, 382–386 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-002-0429-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-002-0429-y

Keywords

Navigation