ASTM F1383-99a

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Designation: F 1383 – 99a
Standard Test Method for
Resistance of Protective Clothing Materials to Permeation
by Liquids or Gases Under Conditions of Intermittent
Contact
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1383; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Workers involved in the production, use, and transportation of liquid and gaseous chemicals can be
exposed to numerous compounds capable of causing harm upon contact with the human body. The
deleterious effects of these chemicals can range from acute trauma such as skin irritation and burn, to
chronic degenerative disease such as cancer. Since engineering controls may not eliminate all possible
exposures, attention is often placed on reducing the potential for direct skin contact through the use
of protective clothing that resists permeation, penetration, and degradation.
This test method is used to measure the resistance to permeation under the condition of intermittent
contact of the protective clothing material with liquid or gaseous chemicals. Resistance to permeation
and penetration under conditions of continuous contact should be determined by Test Methods F 739
and F 903, respectively. Methods for measuring the effects of the continuous contact of chemicals on
the physical properties (that is, degradation) of rubbers, plastics, and coated fabrics are found in Test
Methods D 471, Test Method D 543, and Test Method D 751, respectively.
1. Scope D 543 Practices for Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to
Chemical Reagents
1.1 This test method measures the determination of the
D 751 Test Methods for Coated Fabrics
resistance of protective clothing materials to permeation by
E 105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
liquid or gaseous chemicals under the condition of intermittent
E 171 Specification for Standard Atmospheres for Condi-
contact.
tioning and Testing Flexible Barrier Materials
NOTE 1—The liquid must be volatile or soluble in water.
F 739 Test Method for Resistance of Protective Clothing
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the Materials to Permeation by Liquids or Gases Under Con-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the ditions of Continuous Contact
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- F 903 Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- Protective Clothing to Penetration by Liquids
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazard F 1001 Guide for Selection of Chemicals to Evaluate Pro-
statements are given in Section 3.1. tective Clothing Materials
2.2 Federal Standard:
2. Referenced Documents
Fed. Std. No. 191, Method 5030.2 Measurement of the
2.1 ASTM Standards: Thickness of Materials
D 471 Test Method for Rubber Property—Effect of Liquids
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F23 on
3.1.1 analytical technique, n—a procedure whereby the
Protective Clothing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F23.30 on
concentration of a chemical in a collection medium is quanti-
Chemicals.
Current edition approved June 10, 1999. Published August 1999. Originally
tatively determined.
published as F 1383 – 92. Last previous edition F 1383 – 99.
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F 1383 – 99a
3.1.11 normalized breakthrough detection time, n—in an
open-loop system, the time at which the permeation rate
reaches 0.1 µg/cm /min (see Fig. 1). In a closed-loop test, the
time at which the mass of chemical permeated reaches 0.25
µg/cm .
3.1.12 open-loop, adj—refers to a testing mode in which
fresh collection medium flow continuously through the collec-
tion chamber of the test cell.
3.1.13 penetration, n—in a protective clothing material or
item,theprocessbywhichasolid,liquid,orgasmovesthrough
closures, seams, interstices, and pinholes or other imperfec-
tions on a non-molecular level.
3.1.14 permeation, n—the process by which a chemical
moves through a protective clothing material on a molecular
level.
FIG. 1 The Breakthrough Detection Time for a Method
3.1.14.1 Discussion—Permeation involves the following:
Sensitivity of 0.05 µg/cm /min is 23 min. The Normalized
Breakthrough Detection Time is 33 min.
(1) sorption of molecules of the chemical into the contacted
(challenge side) surface of the material, (2) diffusion of the
sorbed molecules in the material, and (3) desorption of the
3.1.1.1 Discussion—These procedures are often specific to
molecules from the opposite (collection side) surface of the
individual chemical and collection medium combinations.
material.
Applicable techniques can include ultraviolet (UV) and infra-
3.1.15 protective clothing material, n—any material or
red (IR) spectrophotometry, gas and liquid chromatography,
combination of materials used in an item of clothing for the
colorimetry, length-of-stain detector tubes, and radionuclide
purpose of isolating parts of the body from a potential hazard.
tagging/detection counting.
3.1.15.1 Discussion—In this test method the particular haz-
3.1.2 breakthrough detection time, n—the elapsed time
ard is permeation of a hazardous chemical.
measured from the start of the test to the sampling time that
3.1.16 purge time, n—in an intermittent contact test, the
immediately precedes the sampling time at which the test
time immediately following the termination of the contact time
chemical is first detected (see Fig. 1).
when the test chemical is removed from the challenge side
3.1.2.1 Discussion—The breakthrough detection time is
chamber and air or nitrogen is blown over the outside surface
dependent on the sensitivity of the method.
of the protective clothing material.
3.1.3 closed-loop, adj—refers to a testing mode in which
3.1.17 test chemical, n—the liquid or gas that is used to
the collection medium volume is fixed.
challenge the protective clothing material specimen.
3.1.4 collection medium, n—a liquid or gas that does not
3.1.17.1 Discussion—The liquid or gas may be either one
affect the measured permeation and in which the test chemical
component (that is, a neat liquid or gas) or have several
is freely soluble or adsorbed to a saturation concentration
components (that is, a mixture).
greater than 0.5 weight or volume %.
3.1.5 contact time, n—in an intermittent contact test, the
4. Summary of Test Method
duration during each cycle that the challenge side chamber of
4.1 The resistance of a protective clothing material to a test
the permeation cell is filled with the test chemical.
chemical is measured in a permeation test in which replicate
3.1.6 cumulative permeation, n—the total mass of chemical
clothing specimens are intermittently contacted with the
that permeates during a specified time from when the material
chemical.
is first contacted.
4.2 In the permeation test apparatus, the protective clothing
3.1.6.1 Discussion—Quantification of cumulative perme-
material specimen partitions the test chemical from the collec-
ation enables the comparison of permeation behaviors under
tion medium.
different intermittent and continuous contact conditions.
4.2.1 Contact of the test chemical with the clothing materi-
3.1.7 cycle time, n—in an intermittent contact test, the
al’s outside surface is made intermittent by periodically adding
interval of time from the start of one contact period to the start
and removing the test chemical from the challenge chamber of
of the next contact period.
the test cell.
3.1.8 degradation, n—a deleterious change in one or more
properties of a material. 4.2.2 The collection medium, which may be a liquid or a
gas, is analyzed quantitatively for its concentration of the test
3.1.9 minimum detectable mass permeated, n—the smallest
mass of test chemical that is detectable with the complete chemical and thereby the amount of test chemical that has
permeated the clothing material specimen as a function of time
permeation test system. This value is not necessarily the
sensitivity of the analytical instrument. after its initial contact with the chemical.
3.1.10 minimum detectable permeation rate, n—the lowest 4.2.3 By either graphical representation or appropriate cal-
rate of permeation that is measurable with the complete culations, or both, the breakthrough detection time, the nor-
permeation test system. This value is not necessarily the malized breakthrough time, and the cumulative permeation of
sensitivity of the analytical instrument. the test chemical are determined.
F 1383 – 99a
5. Significance and Use
5.1 This test method is used to measure chemical perme-
ation through specimens of protective clothing under the
condition of intermittent contact of a test chemical with the
specimen. In many applications, protective clothing is con-
tacted intermittently to chemicals, not continuously as is tested
by Test Method F 739.
5.2 This test method is normally used to evaluate flat
specimens from finished items of protective clothing and of
materials that are candidates for items of protective clothing.
5.2.1 Finished items of protective clothing include gloves,
arm shields, aprons, suits, hats, boots, respirators, and the like.
5.2.2 The phrase specimens from finished items encom-
passes seamed or other discontinuous regions as well as the
usual continuous regions of protective clothing items.
5.3 In some cases, it may be of interest to compare
permeation behaviors that occur under conditions of intermit-
tent contact with those that occur during continuous contact.
Test Method F 739 is recommended for measuring permeation
under the conditions of continuous contact of the test chemical
FIG. 2 ASTM Permeation Cell Configured for Intermittent
Contact Testing (Top View)
with the clothing specimen.
5.4 The breakthrough detection time, normalized break-
through detection time, and the cumulative permeation are key
6. Apparatus
measures of the effectiveness of a clothing material as a barrier
6.1 Thickness Gage, suitable for measuring thicknesses to
to the test chemical. Such information is used in the compari-
the nearest 0.02 mm (or the nearest 0.001 in.), as specified in
son of clothing materials during the process of selecting
Fed. Std. No. 191 Method 5030.2, shall be used to determine
clothing for protection from hazardous chemicals. Long break-
the thickness of each protective clothing material specimen
through detection times and normalized breakthrough detec-
tested.
tiontimesandlowcumulativepermeationarecharacteristicsof
6.2 Analytical Balance, readable and reproducible to 60.5
better barriers.
mg shall be used to determine weight per unit area of each test
NOTE 2—At present, no quantitative information exists about accept-
specimen.
able levels of dermal contact. Therefore, the data obtained using this test
6.3 Test Cell—The test apparatus consists of a two-
method cannot be used to infer safe exposure levels.
chambered cell for contacting the specimen with the test
5.5 The sensitivity of the test method in detecting low chemical on the specimen’s normally outside surface and with
permeation rates or amounts of the test chemical permeated is
a collection medium on the specimen’s normal inside surface.
determined by the combination of: (1) the analytical technique 6.3.1 The test cell , as shown in Fig. 2, is constructed of
and collection system selected, and (2) the ratio of material
twosectionsofstraightglasspipe,eachnominallysizedtoa51
specimen area to collection medium volume or flow rate. mm(2.0in.)diameter. Materialsotherthanglassmaybeused.
5.5.1 A sensitive analytical technique permits quantitative
Such materials would be required for tests involving chemicals
detection of the test chemical in the collection medium at (for example, hydrofluoric acid) which are incompatible with
concentrations as low as parts per billion.
glass. Each pipe section is 35 mm (1.4 in.) or less in length as
5.5.2 Higher ratios of material specimen area to collection
described in 6.3.1.5.
medium volume or flow rate permit earlier detection of
6.3.1.1 One end of each glass section is sealed closed (for
permeation because higher concentrations of the test chemical
example, with a glass disk equivalent in quality to that of the
in the collection medium will develop in a given time period, glass of the original sections).
relative to those that would occur at lower ratios.
6.3.1.2 The opposite end of each glass section retains the
5.5.3 The sensitivity of an open-loop system is character- as-manufactured flared end.
ized by its minimum detectable permeation rate.Amethod for
6.3.1.3 Inlet and outlet ports with appropriate stopcock
determining this value is presented in Appendix X1. valves are added to each glass section as shown.
5.5.4 The sensitivity of a closed-loop system is character-
6.3.1.4 When assembled, the two glass sections are joined
6 7
ized by its minimum detectable mass permeated. by flanges. A PTFE gasket is used at the joint.
5.6 Comparison of results of tests performed with different
permeation test systems requires specific information on the
test cell, procedures, contact and purge times, and analytical
ThetestcellasshowninFig.2isavailablefromPesceLabSales,P.O.Box235,
226 Birch St., Kennet Square, PA 19348.
techniques. Results obtained from closed-loop and open-loop
Sections of borosilicate glass pipe, available from Corning Glass, Catalog No.
testing may not be directly comparable.
72-0702 (1-in. length), or equivalent, have been found suitable for this purpose.
5.7 A group of chemicals that is recommended for use in
Flanges, available from Corning Glass, Catalog Nos. 72-9062 (aluminum) or
permeation testing is given in Guide F 1001. 72-9654 (cast iron), have been found suitable for this purpose.
F 1383 – 99a
6.3.1.5 In closed-loop tests where increased analytical sen- must be taken to ensure that the permeation cell can be
sitivity is required, a shorter length of glass pipe may be used properly seal
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