was: Lead from action figures?? now: testing and finding lead sources

[Guest guest]

The lead swabs only detect above a certain parts per billion of lead,

so it's unlikely it would detect it in the water. (you never know, but

the water would have to be pretty high).

As for bath tubs containing lead..here's what we know:

Porcelain bath tubs often contain lead, it's used in the glaze of most

ceramic and porcelain items. Including dishes! (Corelle contains lead)

Older tubs have higher levels because the finish has degraded and more

lead leaches out. From what I read, the lead in the tub is only a

hazard if they drink the water or mouth the toys floating in it the

water. Rather than absorb it through the skin, but I still had my tub

redone just in case. You never know when a kid is going to take a sip

and I wasn't taking chances. Not to mention..I was not completely

convinced that they could not get lead through their skin. Our home is

older though, and our tub needed help anyway.

If you have a porcelain tub and you swab it, and the swab turns

purple..it's got too much lead. If this happens, kids need to shower

or put a large rubbermaid container inside the tub and fill that for

bathing. (if the kids are small still). Or you can have the tub

reglazed or you can put one of those tub surround liners over it, then

it would be a fiberglass tub.

For anyone with kids with high lead I would suggest reading a book

called " Lead the Silent Hazard " this book was very complete in finding

sources of lead in the home and environment.

I would test the action figures, the tub and the water. But note that

my son is dumping a ton of lead too and he no longer has these

exposures. Lead can also be from dishes, drinking water (pipes are

soldered with leaded solder), soil, imported art supplies...the list

goes on.

>

> From: pudgeo9999 <pudgeo9999 (DOT) com>

> Subject: [ ] Lead from action figures??

>

> Date: Thursday, October 9, 2008, 11:38 AM

>

> My son likes to sit in the bathtub and play with power rangers...he

> keeps testing high for lead and lead is coming out of him. Last night

> my husband started to wonder if him sitting in the water with all these

> toys, if he was absorbing the lead fromn the action figures? Does this

> sound crazy? The toys were all made in China. He will stay in the tub

> for an hour and we do put in epsom salts too....I appreciate any input

> in this...

>

>