ASTM F739-20

Standard Test Method for Permeation of Liquids and Gases Through Protective Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Continuous Contact

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This test method is normally used to evaluate flat specimens from finished items of protective clothing and from materials that are candidates for items of protective clothing.  
5.1.1 Finished items of protective clothing include gloves, sleeves, aprons, suits, coveralls, hoods, boots, respirators, and the like.  
5.1.2 The phrase “specimens from finished items” encompasses seamed or other discontinuous regions as well as the usual continuous regions of protective clothing items.  
5.1.3 Selected seams for testing are representative of seams used in the principal construction of the protective clothing item and typically include seams of both the base material and where the base material is joined with other types of materials.  
5.2 The breakthrough detection time, standardized breakthrough time, permeation rate, and cumulative permeation are key measures of the effectiveness of a clothing material as a barrier to the test chemical. Such information is used in the comparison of clothing materials during the process of selecting clothing for protection from hazardous chemicals. Long breakthrough detection times, long standardized breakthrough detection times, low amounts of cumulative permeation, and low permeation rates are characteristics of more effective barrier materials than materials with higher permeation characteristics.
Note 1: At present, only limited quantitative information exists about acceptable levels of dermal contact with most chemicals. Therefore, the data obtained using this test method cannot be used to infer safe exposure levels.  
5.2.1 The reporting of a standardized breakthrough time greater than a specific time period means that the test chemical has not permeated the specimen at a rate exceeding 0.1 μg/cm2/min in the designated time. Permeation may or may not have occurred at a lower rate during this time interval.  
5.2.2 The reporting of cumulative permeation over a specified test period is another means to report barrier pe...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method measures the permeation of liquids and gases through protective clothing materials under the condition of continuous contact.  
1.2 This test method is designed for use when the test chemical is a gas or a liquid, where the liquid is either volatile (that is, having a vapor pressure greater than 1 mm Hg at 25 °C) or soluble in water or another liquid that does not interact with the clothing material.  
1.3 Values states in SI units are to be regarded as standard. Values given in parentheses are not exact equivalents and are given for information only.  
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 7.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2020
• ICS: 13.340.10 - Protective clothing
• Technical Committee: F23 - Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment
• Drafting Committee: F23.30 - Chemicals

Relations

• Refers: ASTM E171/E171M-11(2020) - Standard Practice for Conditioning and Testing Flexible Barrier Packaging
• Effective Date: 01-May-2020

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F739 − 20
Standard Test Method for
Permeation of Liquids and Gases Through Protective
1
Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Continuous Contact
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF739;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginal
adoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) 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 health effects of these chemicals can range from acute trauma such as skin irritation and
burn, to chronic degenerative disease and mutagenic conditions, including 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.
Thistestmethodisusedtomeasurethepermeationofliquidsandgasesthroughprotectiveclothing
materials under the conditions of continuous contact of the clothing material by the test chemical.
Resistance to permeation under the condition of intermittent contact with the test chemical should be
determined by Test Method F1383. In certain situations, the permeation of liquids through protective
clothingmaterialscanbemeasuredusingapermeationcupfollowingTestMethodF1407.Penetration
of liquids should be determined by Test Method F903. An undesirable change in the physical
properties of protective clothing materials is called degradation. Procedures for measuring the
degradation of rubbers, plastics, and coated fabrics are found in Test Method D471, Practice D543,
and Test Method D751, respectively. A starting point for selecting the chemicals to be used in
assessing the chemical resistance of clothing materials is Guide F1001.
1. Scope priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.1 Thistestmethodmeasuresthepermeationofliquidsand
Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 7.
gasesthroughprotectiveclothingmaterialsunderthecondition
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
of continuous contact.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.2 This test method is designed for use when the test
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
chemical is a gas or a liquid, where the liquid is either volatile
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
(that is, having a vapor pressure greater than 1 mm Hg at
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
25°C) or soluble in water or another liquid that does not
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
interact with the clothing material.
2. Referenced Documents
1.3 Values states in SI units are to be regarded as standard.
2
Values given in parentheses are not exact equivalents and are
2.1 ASTM Standards:
given for information only.
D471Test Method for Rubber Property—Effect of Liquids
D543Practices for Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Chemical Reagents
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
D751Test Methods for Coated Fabrics
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
D1777Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials
E105Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
1
ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeF23onPersonal
ProtectiveClothingandEquipmentandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommittee
2
F23.30 on Chemicals. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2020. Published November 2020. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 2012 as F739–12. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/F0739-20. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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F739 − 20
E171/E171MPractice for Conditioning andTesting Flexible
Barrier Packaging
F903Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in
Protective Clothing to Penetration by Liquids
F1001Guide for Selection of Chemicals to Evaluate Protec-
tive Clothing Materials
F1194Guide for Documenting the Results of Chemical
Permeati
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation: F739 − 12 F739 − 20
Standard Test Method for
Permeation of Liquids and Gases Through Protective
1
Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Continuous Contact
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F739; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
ε NOTE—Editorially corrected 8.8.1 in February 2015.
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 health effects of these chemicals can range from acute trauma such as skin irritation and
burn, to chronic degenerative disease such as and mutagenic conditions, including 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 permeation of liquids and gases through protective clothing
materials under the conditions of continuous contact of the clothing material by the test chemical.
Resistance to permeation under the condition of intermittent contact with the test chemical should be
determined by Test Method F1383. In certain situations, the permeation of liquids through protective
clothing materials can be measured using a permeation cup following Test Method F1407. Penetration
of liquids should be determined by Test Method F903. An undesirable change in the physical
properties of protective clothing materials is called degradation. Procedures for measuring the
degradation of rubbers, plastics, and coated fabrics are found in Test Method D471, Test Method
Practice D543, and Test Method D751, respectively. A starting point for selecting the chemicals to be
used in assessing the chemical resistance of clothing materials is Guide F1001.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method measures the permeation of liquids and gases through protective clothing materials under the condition of
continuous contact.
1.2 This test method is designed for use when the test chemical is a gas or a liquid, where the liquid is either volatile (that is,
having a vapor pressure greater than 1 mm Hg at 25°C)25 °C) or soluble in water or another liquid that does not interact with the
clothing material.
1.3 Values states in SI units are to be regarded as standard. Values given in parentheses are not exact equivalents and are given
for information only.
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
F23.30 on Chemicals.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2012Nov. 1, 2020. Published October 2012November 2020. Originally approved in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 20072012
as F739 – 07.F739 – 12. DOI: 10.1520/F0739-12E01.10.1520/F0739-20.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F739 − 20
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 7.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D471 Test Method for Rubber Property—Effect of Liquids
D543 Practices for Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents
D751 Test Methods for Coated Fabrics
D1777 Test Method for Thickness of Textile Materials
E105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
E171E171/E171M Practice for Conditioning and Testing Flexible Barrier Packaging
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods
E691 Practic
...