ASHLAND, OH, March 06, 2011 (Press-News.org) Young children who mouth or swallow jewelry containing cadmium may be exposed to as much as 100 times the recommended maximum exposure limit for the toxic metal, according to research published online March 4 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).
The study, conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Weidenhamer, professor of chemistry at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, measured bioavailability, or how much cadmium leached out of the jewelry. The research also found that damaged pieces of jewelry in some cases leached up to 30 times more cadmium than undamaged pieces.
"Our hope is that the potential hazards of cadmium-laden jewelry will be taken seriously. While the bioavailability of cadmium from many items was low, the amounts of cadmium obtained from other items were extraordinarily high and clearly dangerous if these items were mouthed or swallowed by children," Weidenhamer said.
The research was conducted with assistance from three Ashland University students -- Jennifer Miller, integrated science education major from West Union, Ohio, and two toxicology students -- Daphne Guinn from Stockport, Ohio, and Janna Pearson from Barberton, Ohio.
Cadmium, a heavy metal, can cause kidney, bone, lung and liver disease. Cadmium contamination is a global health concern. Most human exposure comes from food or tobacco grown with cadmium-rich phosphate fertilizer. Health effects typically are not acute but instead result from chronic, long-term exposure. Because cadmium can accumulate in the body, all exposures should be avoided. Agencies around the world, including the World Health Organization, are working to regulate the use and disposal of the heavy metal.
Last year, in testing conducted for an Associated Press (AP) investigative report, Weidenhamer found high concentrations of the soft, whitish metal in inexpensive jewelry imported into the United States from China. The jewelry contamination represented a new avenue of cadmium exposure for children.
"It was a complete surprise to find such high amounts of cadmium—up to 90 percent by weight—in some of these jewelry items," Weidenhamer said of the AP investigation. "Given the toxicity of cadmium, information on its bioavailability was needed in order to evaluate the potential risks. That is what motivated [the EHP] study."
Weidenhamer's findings were widely reported, and after multiple recalls of children's jewelry, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued recommended limits on cadmium bioavailability. These limits were based on the amount of cadmium leached after an item soaked in a saline solution for six hours (to simulate putting the item in one's mouth) or in dilute hydrochloric acid for 24 hours (to simulate ingestion).
For the current study, Weidenhamer's team tested 69 cadmium-laden jewelry items, mostly charms and necklace pendants, many labeled for children and imported primarily from China. Most items sold for less than $5 each and were purchased in 2009 and 2010.
Of 34 pieces of jewelry tested under mouthing conditions, one piece (a football pendant) yielded 2,109 micrograms of cadmium—more than 100 times the CPSC-recommended limit of 18 micrograms for maximum exposure through mouthing. Eight other pieces exceeded the 18-microgram limit.
Of 92 pieces of jewelry from 57 different jewelry items tested under ingestion conditions, two pieces (a football pendant and a heart charm) yielded more than 20,000 micrograms of cadmium, 100 times the CPSC-recommended maximum exposure of 200 micrograms through ingestion. Fourteen samples yielded more than 1,000 micrograms. The researchers found the amount of cadmium released increased linearly over time, indicating that the longer an item stays in a child's stomach, the greater the potential for harm.
Because normal use, especially by children, can damage jewelry, separate tests were conducted on pieces whose outer coatings were purposefully damaged. Six damaged sandal charms tested in dilute hydrochloric acid for 96 hours yielded a mean of 30,600 micrograms of cadmium, more than 30 times as much cadmium as intact charms, which yielded a mean of 912 micrograms.
"To think there are products on the shelf that you could pull thousands of micrograms of cadmium off by simple extractions like this is very concerning," Weidenhamer said.
The article "Bioavailability of Cadmium in Inexpensive Jewelry" is available March 4 free of charge at http://ehponline.org/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.1003011. The work was supported in part by a grant from the Dr. Scholl Foundation, and the National Science Foundation provided financial support for acquisition of the Varian 220 AA spectrometer.
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private institution conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.
Ashland University Chemistry Professor Study Confirms Inexpensive Jewelry Can Release High Levels of Dangerous Cadmium When Children Mouth or Swallow Items
Ashland University chemistry professor research shows inexpensive jewelry may release high levels of the toxic metal when children mouth or swallow items
2011-03-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Communication Expert, Skip Weisman Presents The Secret Formula of Confident Leaders: How to Become a Leader Others Enthusiastically Want to Follow Teleseminar.
2011-03-06
Communication expert Skip Weisman will host a free teleseminar on March 10 and March 14 for new and experienced Managers and business leaders on "The Secret Formula of Confident Leaders: How to Become a Leader Others Enthusiastically Want to Follow", a popular and timely topic in today's economy and fickle workforce.
Weisman will be discussing "The Secret Formula of Confident Leaders: How to Become a Leader Others Enthusiastically Want to Follow" aimed at helping leaders create employees and teams who take more initiative in their work and who work better together with ...
Window Manufacturing Equipment to be Auctioned by Stuart B. Millner and Associates
2011-03-06
Stuart B. Millner and Associates will conduct a live and online auction of window manufacturing equipment for Schüco USA, L.P. in Clinton, South Carolina on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Items to be auctioned include a Bystronic glass cutting table, two Urban 4 point single stack frame welders, Joseph Machine fabricating equipment and other machinery of interest to the window and glass industries. This auction will also feature general industrial machinery such as saws and routers.
To view the auction brochure and to register for online bidding, ...
Agile Sciences Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent for Biofilm Dispersing Compounds
2011-03-06
Agile Sciences, a Centennial Campus company focused on commercializing technologies to inhibit and disperse biofilms, has received notice that its first licensed patent has been approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. U.S. Patent No. 7,987,631, entitled "Inhibition and Dispersion of Bacterial Biofilms with Imidazole-Triazole Derivatives," was issued on March 1, 2011. The patent covers the composition and use of compounds exclusively licensed by Agile Sciences from NC State University.
"It is very exciting to report the issuance of this first patent, which ...
TradeMarkMedia Announces HD-Video Services For High School And College Sports
2011-03-06
TradeMarkMedia is please to announce HD-Video Services. Now you can capture and review your games in true HD Format. Our Videographers capture your game or your next opponent's game in stunning details that very same day for your review. We also can create a compilation of your season for a custom Team Video. Our line of the latest SONY-HD video cameras produces a truly amazing finished product.
TradeMark Media is a full service Video Production Company. We also offer College Recruiting Highlight Videos. Bringing your athletes Best Highlights in video and still photography ...
IREM Greater Raleigh-Durham Chapter 105 to Hold 3rd Annual Speed Networking Meeting on March 16th
2011-03-06
The Institute of Real Estate Management Greater Raleigh-Durham Chapter 105 (IREM) will be holding their Speed Networking General Meeting at 3:00PM on Wednesday, March 16th at Hi-5 located at 510 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. This year's event will feature 15 Friends of IREM who will have an opportunity to speak directly to chapter members for five-minute timed intervals. This is the third year that the real estate management association has worked to directly connect chapter sponsors with members.
"When we first began our Speed Networking event, we started off with eight ...
The Power of Crowdsourcing: Develop a Corporate Image Bringing Together 300 Designers on IamaSource.com
2011-03-06
IamaSource is a brand new website which includes a large community of creative people and designers from around the world (today there are about 3000). The aim of the site is to allow contractors in need of a new logo, a brochure or a web layout for their business to open a graphic competition or design contest as it is called at IamaSource. The entire IamaSource community is notified of every new contest and the designers start to compete uploading their designs. The amount of the prize that will go to the winning designer is decided by the client who will receive from ...
PureShowers.co.uk Launches New German Website : DuschFilterShop.de
2011-03-06
Today PureShowers.co.uk are pleased to announce the launch of its brand new website at http://www.duschfiltershop.de, a web portal devoted to Shower Filters, Shower Filter reviews and a Shower Filter blog in Germany. This website is the result of one year of synchronised hard work done by the team in analysing and researching the Shower Filter needs of the German people. At DuschFilterShop.de, the goal is to provide visitors with informative and up to date data regarding Shower Filters and water quality. Combined with the highest quality Shower Filter products for visitors ...
Attorney Rui P. Alves Sworn in as Member of US Supreme Court
2011-03-06
On February 23, 2011 at 10:00am, RI Attorney Rui P. Alves was sworn in as a member of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC.
In addition to the substantial amount of forms and the fee involved in the admission, the criteria for the swearing in of a member to the United States Supreme Court include that the attorney be a member in good standing with the Supreme Court in their own state, that they be in the practice of law for a minimum of three years, and that they obtain the signature of two sponsors who are already members of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. ...
Revolver PR held a 'Bit of a Do' in aid of Oxfam
2011-03-06
Scotland's leading digital PR agency, Revolver PR, celebrated the forthcoming 100th Annual International Women's Day by holding a charity evening event to raise money in aid of Oxfam.
The celebratory charity event, organised by Revolver PR and sponsored by leading creative digital agency Bourne (http://www.wearebourne.com), was held last night, Thursday March 3, 2011, at the stylish Brunswick Hotel in Glasgow's Merchant City. Party-goers were treated to visual installations composed by digital creatives, Yuva, great music and a fantastic selection of cocktails created ...
"Alligator" Ron Bergeron Named Corporate Honorary Chair of April 30, 2011 Arthritis Walk Broward
2011-03-06
"Alligator" Ron Bergeron, a successful entrepreneur, rodeo competitor and conservationist, has been named the Corporate Honorary Chair for the 2011 Let's Move Together Arthritis Walk Broward.
Bergeron runs more than three dozen companies under the Bergeron Family of Companies including Bergeron Land Development, Bergeron Park of Commerce and Industry and Bergeron Emergency Services. Bergeron Family of Companies is a second-year sponsor for the Broward Arthritis Walk which aims to raise $50,000 to serve the more than 365,000 adults and children in Broward County affected ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Insulin resistance is linked to over 30 diseases – and to early death in women, study of people in the UK finds
Innovative semaglutide hydrogel could reduce diabetes shots to once a month
Weight loss could reduce the risk of severe infections in people with diabetes, UK research suggests
Long-term exposure to air pollution and a lack of green space increases the risk of hospitalization for respiratory conditions
Better cardiovascular health in early pregnancy may offset high genetic risk
Artificial intelligence method transforms gene mutation prediction in lung cancer: DeepGEM data releases at IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer
Antibody–drug conjugate I-DXd shows clinically meaningful response in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
IASLC Global Survey on biomarker testing reveals progress and persistent barriers in lung cancer biomarker testing
Research shows pathway to developing predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors
Just how dangerous is Great Salt Lake dust? New research looks for clues
Maroulas appointed Associate Vice Chancellor, Director of AI Tennessee
New chickadee research finds cognitive skills impact lifespan
Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances brain circuits to relieve depression
Terasaki Institute awarded $2.3 Million grant from NIH for organ transplantation research using organs-on-a-chip technology
Atoms on the edge
Postdoc takes multipronged approach to muon detection
Mathematical proof: Five satellites needed for precise navigation
Scalable, multi-functional device lays groundwork for advanced quantum applications
Falling for financial scams? It may signal early Alzheimer’s disease
Integrating MRI and OCT for new insights into brain microstructure
Designing a normative neuroimaging library to support diagnosis of traumatic brain injury
Department of Energy announces $68 million in funding for artificial intelligence for scientific research
DOE, ORNL announce opportunity to define future of high-performance computing
Molecular simulations, supercomputing lead to energy-saving biomaterials breakthrough
Low-impact yoga and exercise found to help older women manage urinary incontinence
Genetic studies reveal new insights into cognitive impairment in schizophrenia
Researcher develops technology to provide cleaner energy and cleaner water
Expect the unexpected: nanoscale silver unveils intrinsic self-healing abilities
nTIDE September 2024 Jobs Report: Gains in employment for people with disabilities appear to level off after reducing gaps with non-disabled workers
Wiley enhances NMR Spectral Library Collection with extensive new databases
[Press-News.org] Ashland University Chemistry Professor Study Confirms Inexpensive Jewelry Can Release High Levels of Dangerous Cadmium When Children Mouth or Swallow ItemsAshland University chemistry professor research shows inexpensive jewelry may release high levels of the toxic metal when children mouth or swallow items