Percutaneous absorption of chemicals from fabric (textile)

• Published in: Journal of applied toxicology 2021-02, Vol.41 (2), p.194-202
• Main Authors: Bormann, Jordan L., Filiz Acipayam, Ayse Sermin, Maibach, Howard I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemicals; fabric; Fabrics; Penetration; percutaneous absorption; percutaneous penetration; Personal protective equipment; pesticides; protection; Protective clothing; Protective equipment; Skin; textile; Textiles; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0260-437X; 1099-1263
• DOI: 10.1002/jat.4077

Percutaneous penetration of chemicals from clothing can result in both acute and chronic toxicities. Although personal protective equipment composed of nonwoven material can provide thorough protection, it is often uncomfortable under normal occupational conditions. Certain everyday textiles are often utilized as protective clothing due to their cost, comfort, and convenience. Although common textiles may cover most skin, certain regions remain exposed by such outfits. The body areas covered by the fabric are at risk for fabric permeation and percutaneous penetration of chemical, either immediately or over time, dependent on the fabric composition and the characteristics of the chemical used. in vitro and in vivo publications studied percutaneous penetration of chemicals from contaminated fabric and show that everyday textiles are superior to bare skin. The increased protection offered can be attributed to properties of the fabric such as weave, thickness, fabric finish, absorbency, and the overall barrier provided. Although common textiles do offer some protection, they remain inferior to nonwoven personal protective equipment. Much remains unknown regarding percutaneous penetration and protection offered by everyday textiles. Although common clothing fabrics do offer some protection from chemicals for occupational workers, there is still risk for percutaneous penetration of chemical, either immediately or over time. Here, we review in vitro and in vivo studies quantifying percutaneous penetration of chemicals from contaminated fabric through an extensive literature search, resulting in 22 relevant publications. The degree of percutaneous penetration from fabric varied, dependent upon fabric composition and chemical characteristics.