Natural rubber is a huge raw material import to this country, second only to petroleum. "Hevea brasiliensis", the rubber tree, produces the latex which is present in our everyday products ranging from vehicle tires to medical latex gloves. Its pervasive presence is vital to our economics and common place in our daily functioning. We hardly give a second thought to its origins as the sap of an exotic foreign tree. Ironically, as we have experimented with even wider spread of latex's usefulness, there has been a growing allergic response to its proteins amid our population.
America suffered a shortage of this important Asian natural resource during WWII. A push for domestic resourcefulness resurrected the farming of a lowly southwestern desert shrub called guayule (pronounced "why you lee"). This humble little plant had once before been rendered to manufacture rubber for automobiles in the early years of the American auto industry but had fallen to the wayside. One acre of land seeded with guayule could produce one ton of natural latex processed from the plant's bark. However, at the end of WWII, Asian resources were once again available and domestic guayule harvests stopped.
But in recent years, scientists and businessmen have once again investigated the potential of our domestic guayule, this time with an eye to a very interesting property: The latex from the guayule plant is free of allergy producing proteins.
Latex allergies are no laughing matter. With symptoms ranging from skin reactions and hay fever-like nose dribbles to life-threatening anaphylactic shock, queries about latex allergies are routine questions in any medical setting. Latex allergies have caused reputable environments such as Johns Hopkins to become entirely latex free for the long-term safety of their patients and staff.
Latex glove usage increased multifold during the 1980's when HIV awareness triggered new public health practices. This increase had allergy repercussions over time for both medical workers and patients. Nitrile gloves or neoprene gloves have since come into their own, serving as safe, durable alternatives to latex in medical settings. But the thought of latex making a comeback in an allergy- free form and from a domestic crop is intriguing.
The beauty of guayule is more dimensional than its allergy free aspect. It is a truly "green" crop in that it requires only water for its extraction rather than any harmful solvents. As a desert plant, it demands very little water for its cultivation. It does not compete with food crops. It is a perennial so one plant can be reharvested for many years. It requires no herbicides once established and is naturally resistant to fungus and insects. After its latex is harvested, the remaining material shows promise as a bio-fuel resource for ethanol, bio-oil and synthetic gas. A dandy little plant, all in all. - 32378
America suffered a shortage of this important Asian natural resource during WWII. A push for domestic resourcefulness resurrected the farming of a lowly southwestern desert shrub called guayule (pronounced "why you lee"). This humble little plant had once before been rendered to manufacture rubber for automobiles in the early years of the American auto industry but had fallen to the wayside. One acre of land seeded with guayule could produce one ton of natural latex processed from the plant's bark. However, at the end of WWII, Asian resources were once again available and domestic guayule harvests stopped.
But in recent years, scientists and businessmen have once again investigated the potential of our domestic guayule, this time with an eye to a very interesting property: The latex from the guayule plant is free of allergy producing proteins.
Latex allergies are no laughing matter. With symptoms ranging from skin reactions and hay fever-like nose dribbles to life-threatening anaphylactic shock, queries about latex allergies are routine questions in any medical setting. Latex allergies have caused reputable environments such as Johns Hopkins to become entirely latex free for the long-term safety of their patients and staff.
Latex glove usage increased multifold during the 1980's when HIV awareness triggered new public health practices. This increase had allergy repercussions over time for both medical workers and patients. Nitrile gloves or neoprene gloves have since come into their own, serving as safe, durable alternatives to latex in medical settings. But the thought of latex making a comeback in an allergy- free form and from a domestic crop is intriguing.
The beauty of guayule is more dimensional than its allergy free aspect. It is a truly "green" crop in that it requires only water for its extraction rather than any harmful solvents. As a desert plant, it demands very little water for its cultivation. It does not compete with food crops. It is a perennial so one plant can be reharvested for many years. It requires no herbicides once established and is naturally resistant to fungus and insects. After its latex is harvested, the remaining material shows promise as a bio-fuel resource for ethanol, bio-oil and synthetic gas. A dandy little plant, all in all. - 32378
About the Author:
With decades in the glove industry, Ms. Long now directs an online education library for a large web retailer selling Latex Gloves and Related Supplies, informing disposable gloves consumers. Readers can visit this web resource, Understanding Latex Gloves.
