Research
on heavy metal contamination of consumer products - J Weidenhamer
Lead
is a highly toxic metal that can cause a range of health effects, from
behavioral problems and learning disabilities to seizures and death. Young children are most at risk, because
their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the effects of lead than
adults are. As a result of a class
project in one of our non-majors courses, my lab has investigated the lead
content of inexpensive jewelry and toys. This work has resulted in at least 14 recalls by the Consumer Product
Safety Commission involving more than 1.5 million children’s jewelry and toys,
and has been cited in a US Congressional resolution seeking a ban on US export
of electronic waste.
We
have found that:
Lead contamination of inexpensive jewelry was
widespread when we first began our testing in 2006:
Weidenhamer, J. and M. Clement. 2007.
Widespread lead contamination of imported low-cost jewelry in the
US. Chemosphere,
67: 961-965.
The antimony content of very highly leaded
jewelry items is similar to the content of lead acid battery alloys:
Weidenhamer, J. and M.
Clement. 2007. Evidence of recycling of lead battery waste
into highly leaded jewelry. Chemosphere, 69:1670-1672.
Other jewelry items contain proportions of
lead, tin and copper which suggest that recycled electronic solders might be
among the scrap sources used to manufacture these items:
Weidenhamer, J. and M. Clement. 2007.
Leaded electronic waste is a possible source material for
lead-contaminated jewelry. Chemosphere, 69: 1111-1115.
Lead in highly leaded jewelry items is
accessible when tested for leaching in dilute (0.07 M) hydrochloric acid:
Yost, J.* and J.
Weidenhamer. 2008. Accessible and total lead in low-cost jewelry
items. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 4:358-361.
The presence of lead in coatings on plastic
jewelry items and surface paint on seasonal products has been documented:
Weidenhamer, J. 2008. Lead contamination of inexpensive seasonal and holiday products. Science of the Total Environment, 407:
2447-2450. DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.11.031
Yost, J.* and J.
Weidenhamer. 2008. Lead contamination of inexpensive plastic
jewelry. Science of the Total Environment, 393:348-350.
* identifies undergraduate
co-authors.
For Reprints: jweiden@ashland.edu
For more information:
2007 Accent Magazine article 
2008
National Geographic article on e-waste
2008
Consumer Reports Feature 
2009
Consumer Reports Blog 
CBS
News report on Ugly Teeth Recall 
For more information on e-waste:
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