Fears associated with the long term health risks from exposure to toxic and harmful materials are increasing. To ensure that goods introduced in to the market are safe for our children, it is crucial to carry out elemental analysis from the manufacturing stage, right through to delivery to retail channels, so that products containing toxic elements such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are identified, rejected, and manufacturing processes changed accordingly .
Recent stories have been emerging in the press about the use of Cadmium in children's jewellery due to its being shiny and contains the sparkle sought by low cost producers. It is also strong and malleable at low temperatures.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen. Like lead, it can hinder brain development in the very young, according to recent research. Research also shows that long-term exposure can cause cancer and kidney problems. Children don’t even have to swallow an item to be exposed - they can get persistent, low-level doses by regularly sucking or biting jewellery with high cadmium content.
Cadmium is a highly toxic metal used in batteries, metal coatings and plastics and has been shown to cause lung cancer, according to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Regulators reacted swiftly to an Associated Press investigation reporting that some Chinese manufacturers have been using cadmium in place of lead in children's charm bracelets and pendants, sometimes at extraordinarily high levels. Congress clamped down on lead in those products in 2008, but cadmium is even more harmful.
US department stores Walmart and Claire's Stores said they had removed Chinese-made children's jewellery from their shelves after reports that some bracelets and pendants had been found to contain the heavy metal cadmium.
-
Hand-held X-MET XRF Analyser
-
Bench-top X-Strata980
-
Cadmium - What is it?
-
-
|
Oxford Instruments' hand-held X-MET XRF analyser is the simple solution to detect cadmium, lead, chromium and other hazardous elements in children's jewellery, toys and consumer products.
X-MET portability means that it can be taken to any location – a store,
a warehouse, an incoming port – to test the toys and other goods for lead and
other heavy metals. The powerful user programmable software delivers fast,
highly accurate results for reliable Go/No-Go decisions. The X-MET will identify material type and automatically chooses the best analysis method.
An optional bench-top stand enables hands-free operation.
Oxford Instruments is proud to launch a NEW faster, lighter and smaller handheld XRF analyser - the X-MET7000. With one pull of the trigger, the NEW X-MET7000 delivers faster than ever results for materials analysis, verification and screening. Take a closer look at the NEW X-MET7000. Click the link on the right. |
This jewellery passed the test |
|
Oxford Instruments’ latest benchtop small-spot XRF analyser, the X-Strata980, provides a simple, rapid and non-destructive solution for accurate composition analysis and coating thickness analysis.
X-Strata980 detects and rapidly quantifies toxic elements such as Cd and Pb in jewellery and jewellery coatings, and enables users to focus the analysis on specific features of the item of jewellery being analysed.
X-Strata980 provides reliable composition and coating thickness analysis at the time of manufacturing, casting, selling/buying, recycling and refining, ensuring improved product quality and offering true value for money. |
 |
Toxic lead is nowadays in certain manufacturers being replaced by even more toxic cadmium in children's toys and trinkets. Cadmium is a soft, whitish metal that occurs naturally in soil. It's perhaps best known as a constituent of rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, but it is also used in pigments, electroplating and plastic. Cadmium is attractive to some lower cost, lower quality, manufacturers because it is cheap and easy to work with.
Cadmium is heavily restricted in many countries' and markets' environmental legislation and poses a real danger to health and the environment.