Next-generation protective gloves: current trends in technological solutions and application prospects (scientific review)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction. Protective gloves are widely used in medicine to provide biological protection for patients and medical staff. However, if gloves are used improperly, there is a risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) for both staff and patients. A significant problem is the resulting growth in medical waste and its disposal. Therefore, developing new approaches to ensure maximum protection for staff and patients, and minimize the risk of infection, by creating protective gloves based on biodegradable polymer materials with an antimicrobial coating, is an urgent epidemiological and environmental objective. This paper discusses modern technologies and emerging issues in the creation of new materials for protective gloves with antimicrobial properties. These materials can be made using guanidine derivatives, quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), chlorinated phenols, essential oils, iodine compounds, silver salts, metal oxides and metal nanoparticles and oxides, vegetable oil extracts, aniline dyes. The introduction of biofillers such as starch and nanocellulose will help improve biodegradability. They will also help maintain the necessary physical and chemical characteristics. The problem of synthetic rubber waste disposal can be solved by the development of new composite materials with improved biodegradation characteristics. These materials are in the form of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), polylactide (PLA) and polylactone (PLC). Conclusion. A review of the scientific literature revealed a significant global interest in the creation of protective gloves with antimicrobial properties made from biodegradable materials. However, in addition to directly suppressing the growth of pathogenic microflora, their use may also pose a number of problems related to their impact on human health and the ecosystem. The successful implementation of this direction hinges on the continuation of scientific research on imparting the declared properties to gloves. This research should use effective, reliable and safe technologies, as well as the development of unified methods and protocols for assessing antimicrobial activity. Once these are in place, the research can be implemented widely in practice. The production of biodegradable protective gloves offers significant potential, as it will help to reduce the risk of infection spreading in healthcare organizations and contribute to environmental protection.
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415935971