Contamination through PPE methods is described by which term?

• A. Permeation
• B. Penetration
• C. Degradation
• D. Absorption

Answer: (A)

Contamination through PPE materials is described by permeation. Permeation is the process by which a chemical moves through an intact barrier at the molecular level: it sorbs into the material, diffuses through it, and emerges on the other side. This is what happens when a hazardous chemical passes through gloves or other protective gear during exposure, and it’s typically characterized by breakthrough time and permeation rate.

Penetration would involve the contaminant getting through defects, seams, or pores in the barrier, not the normal passage through the material itself. Degradation refers to the breakdown or damage of the material from chemical attack. Absorption is uptake into the material but does not necessarily imply movement all the way through to the other side.