Diesel fuel, nitrile gloves and UlsD

[kerry]

I had to change the short rubber fuel lines from tank to metal lines on my 85 TD today. Since I had no easy way to drain the tank, I resigned myself to losing some fuel in the process. I put on a pair of tight fitting nitrile/latex gloves and set to work. First I clamped off the old fuel lines and removed end from the steel line. Then I installed a new line on the steel line. I knew I'd lose fuel when making the quick switch from the old line to the new line on the tank. In the process, the gloves got wet with fuel.

A few minutes later I noticed the gloves had increased substantially in size and lost all elasticity. They had been skin tight but now they were drooping everywhere. It was hard to work in them anymore so I ended up taking them off. Why did this happen? Has it always happened when diesel fuel and nitrile/latex gloves meet or is this a result of ULSD? If it is the result of USLD I can see why we are running into problems with fuel lines and leaks.

Any chemists out there who can shed light on this issue?

Anyone with accesss to ULSD and non-ULSD who can put a glove on each hand and stick each hand into the different fuels?