Concentrations and migratabilities of hazardous elements in second-hand children's plastic toys
Turner A (2018). Environmental Science & Technology.
What they found
XRF screening of about 200 second-hand toys found bromine, cadmium and lead frequently, at maximums of about 16,000, 20,000 and 5,000 µg/g. In simulated stomach acid tests on 26 toys, eight exceeded EU Toy Safety Directive migration limits for cadmium or lead, with yellow and red Lego bricks exceeding the cadmium limit tenfold.
- Sample
- About 200 second-hand plastic toys from the UK
- What it can't tell you
- Second-hand toys, many made before current rules; not a picture of new toys. XRF reads the surface and bromine is only a proxy for flame retardants. Migration tested on only 26 toys. Simulated stomach conditions, not measured exposure in children. Single author, single country.
- Funding
- Not checked (full text inaccessible).
- Topics
- Baby and kids, Recycling, Chemicals
- Checked against
- Abstract (Europe PMC, PMID 29350926)