[Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?

[Geoff McAuliffe]

Hi Jenny:

Xylene can pass through the skin via the lipids that surround the skin 
cells, just the way the medicine in nicotine patches, sea sickness 
patches and birth control patches can.
How much can enter your system is not known to me but you should wear 
resistant gloves, maybe even double glove.
Not wearing the appropriate glove is almost certainly a safety violation.

Geoff

On 2/21/2012 10:17 PM, Jenny Vega wrote:
> I am asking this because in my job we mount slides by hand, and my
> coworkers don't like to use gloves because it leaves a residue of latex in
> the back of the slides. I really don't feel comfortable mounting without
> gloves because I heard that xyelene can cause cancer. Some people I know
> personally has told me that this is not possible, but I read in some places
> that xylene could a possible carcinogen.
>
> I have already gotten contact with xylene in my hands a couple of times and
> I am worried.
>
>
>
> Thanks.
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Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
voice: (732)-235-4583
mcauliff <@t> umdnj.edu
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