Effect of the mosquito repellent DEET and long-wave ultraviolet radiation on permeation of the herbicide 2,4-D and the insecticide DDT in natural rubber gloves.

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of a commonly used insect repellent, DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), on the permeability of rubber gloves used as chemical protective clothing (CPC) by pesticide applicators. Glove permeation analysis was conducted with an automated in vitro diffusion analysis (AIDA) method employing an in-house, flow-through permeation cell design. Permeation of 14C-ring-labeled 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) in natural rubber glove material was 2.4 +/- 1.81% at 48 hr after treatment of the glove with 2,4-D applied with DEET; this was not significantly different (Student's t-test; p less than 0.05) from 3.2 +/- 3.46% permeation of 2,4-D observed without DEET. Similarly, there was no significant difference between the permeation of pp'-DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane) applied with DEET (11.7 +/- 5.02%) and without DEET (11.4 +/- 4.86%) to natural rubber glove material. Scanning electron microscopy of the natural rubber glove material, however, demonstrated disruption of the surface ultrastructure following a 24-hr treatment with DEET. The AIDA analysis also suggested that exposure of the glove material to long-wave ultraviolet (UVA) radiation enhanced the glove permeability to 2,4-D (6.2 +/- 0.73% [+UVA]; 0.3% +/- 0.14% [-UVA]) but had no effect on the permeation of DDT. Because the CPC of pesticide applicators is commonly exposed to solar UVA, this finding may raise concerns about the efficacy and safety of CPC in general.