Preliminary Study of Heavy Metals in Low-Cost Jewelry Items Available in Nigerian Markets

Direct solid sample analysis of low-cost jewelry using spectroanalytical techniques: exploratory chemical data evaluation and metal migration with synthetic sweat

Humans have used jewelry for a long time. Initially, this habit had religious purposes for individual protection, then it became a compliment accessory to noble appearance until its popularization with production using cheaper and potentially toxic chemical elements. Therefore, the health of people of low social status has been compromised in such a way that a big part of the metals present in these accessories are potentially toxic. In this regard, with the proposition of legislation limiting these elements' concentrations, several analytical techniques have been used to study their determinations; laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) direct analysis of solids has been highlighted in the past years due to many advantages in several areas. In this study, LIBS and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) were implemented in low-cost jewelry analyses. Then, an exploratory data analysis was carried out using chemometric tools. Finally, the migration of these elements to synthetic sweat was studied to verify its contact with human organisms, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was employed for the determination of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn.

An investigation into the present levels of contamination in children's toys and jewelry in different countries: a systematic review

Contamination by heavy metals and toxic elements in children's toys and jewelry is an ongoing challenge in different countries. These contaminants can enter the children's body via oral, dermal, and respiratory routes, leading to adverse health effects. This study aimed to investigate the present levels of contamination in children's toys and jewelry in 15 countries, including UK, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, China, Kosovo, Nigeria, North American, Kazakhstan, UAE, Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, West Bank/Palestine, Czech Republic, and Turkey. In this review, the legislation and recommendation of the United States (U.S.), the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), Canada, and the European Union (E.U.) on toxic elements in toys and jewelry are introduced. Plastic or metallic toys and children's jewelry still have the most severe toxic elements pollution and the existence of lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), barium (Ba), Zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), bisphenol A, phthalates, parabens, azo dyes, and flame retardants has been regarded as an ongoing challenge in these articles. Finally, this review offers benchmarking of the concentrations of toxic elements in all types of children's toys and jewelry in different nations.

Environmental assessment in fine jewelry in the U.S.-Mexico's Paso del Norte region: A qualitative study via X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Heavy metal contamination in raw materials has spread widely in the United States. The high increased number of recalls in consumer products and the lack of stricter regulations in the raw materials to be used in the jewelry industry have raised concerns among consumers. Studies in low-cost jewelry have shown the presence and high content of heavy metals; this environmental problem led to a child's death after swallowing a charm containing elevated levels of lead (Pb). Exposure to heavy metals, through inhalation, mouth, and skin contact, causes adverse health effects in children and adults. Exposure to lead affects mainly the nervous system and brain development; exposure to cadmium (Cd) causes damage to liver, kidneys, and lungs, and potentially leads to cancer; exposure to nickel (Ni) causes severe dermatitis. Thus, the importance and impact of studies of this nature cannot be overstated. As heavy metal contamination has increased in the United States, this research fills an important knowledge gap between previous studies conducted on low-cost jewelry and fine jewelry. In this study, conducted in the Paso del Norte region, one hundred and forty-three pieces of fine jewelry were evaluated for the presence of heavy metals using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. Our study showed that 61 samples (42.7 %) exhibited the presence of Ni in the metal alloy, prevailing in jewelry pieces with lower percentage of gold. Eighteen samples showed the presence of Pb in gemstones, 11 pieces of these samples (7.7 % total) had <33.3 % gold (≤10 K); however, none of the samples showed the presence of Pb in the metal alloy. Further research is needed to evaluate the bioaccessibility of Pb in these gemstones, which may pose a potential health hazard to children and adults in the US Paso del Norte region and throughout the world.

A Low-Cost Method Shows Potentially Toxic Element Levels in Dust Correlated with Elevated Blood Levels of These Chemicals in Children Exposed to an Informal Home-Based Production Environment

Dust is recognized as a route of exposure to environmental pollutants. The city of Limeira, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, is a production center for jewelry and fashion jewelry, where part of this jewelry production is home-based, informal, and outsourced. The aim of this study was to evaluate exposure to Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE: Cr, Sn, Mn, Sb, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and As) in dust among children from households of informal workers using electrostatic dust cloths (EDC). Dust samples were collected in 21 exposed and 23 control families using EDC from surfaces where dust deposits had accumulated for approximately 14 days. In exposed families, dust samples were also collected from welders’ workstations. PTE concentrations were then determined using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results raised concerns in relation to Cr, As, and Cd exposure among children within the informal home-based production environment. Blood PTE concentrations in children showed a moderate correlation with levels of Cr (Rho 0.40), Zn (Rho −0.43), and As (Rho 0.40), and a strong correlation with Cd (Rho 0.80) (p < 0.05), detected in dust. In conclusion, analyzing dust collected using EDC proved a potentially low-cost tool for determining PTE in dust. In addition, the results confirmed that informal home-based work poses a risk for children residing in these households. Public policies are needed to assist these families and promote better conditions of occupational health and safety for the whole family.