scholarly journals Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
P. Nyamukamba ◽  
C. Bantom ◽  
Z. Mququ ◽  
T. Ngcobo ◽  
S. Isaacs

Herein, we report on the determination of formaldehyde, pH, and heavy metals (Pb, As, Co, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in various baby apparel (cotton, polyester, nylon, elastane, and polyethylene) of different colours (light, medium, and dark) purchased from both high-end and low-end market stores. The concentrations of the heavy metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) after wet digestion and also after extraction using artificial sweat for a selected range of skin-contact baby apparel. The relative standard deviation for the determination of all heavy metals was less than 5% except for nickel which was 10.49%. The concentrations of the heavy metals in wet digested samples were found to be in the following range: Pb (0.02–23.662 mg/kg), As (0.009–0.033 mg/kg), Co (0.001–1.053 mg/kg), Cr (0.053–6.373 mg/kg), Ni (0.039–36.715 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.914 mg/kg), whereas the concentrations in artificial sweat extracted samples were in the following range: Pb (0.006–1.658 mg/kg), As (not detected), Co (0.001–1.05 mg/kg), Cr (0.112–0.371 mg/kg), Ni (0.062–0.121 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.018 mg/kg). The highest concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Co after wet digestion were found in baby apparel purchased from low-end market stores, whereas for As, Ni, and Cd were from high-end market stores. All the samples had a formaldehyde concentration within the acceptable limits recommended by Oeko-Tex. Out of the thirty-four samples analysed, fifteen samples were found to have a pH higher than Oeko-Tex limits. The pH values for the samples that exceeded the Oeko-Tex limits were in the alkali region, and the highest was 11.31 which exceeded by 3.81.

2014 ◽  
Vol 1033-1034 ◽  
pp. 53-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Yi Pan ◽  
Xiao Juan Wei

A novel method for the determination of rhodium in rhodium-loaded carbon catalyst samples was established by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry after samples digested by microwave oven with aqua regia. Such experiment conditions were investigated as the influence of sample digestion methods, digestion time, digestion temperature and interfering ions on the determination. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) of Rh for tested solutions were 9 ng mL-1. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for Rh were 2.11 (CRh = 1 mg L-1, n = 7). The linear ranges of calibration graphs for Rh were 0 ~ 150.00 mg L-1. The proposed method was applied to determine the practical samples with good recoveries and satisfactory results.


Gefahrstoffe ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 80 (06) ◽  
pp. 227-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Beslic ◽  
J. Burger ◽  
F. Cadoni ◽  
D. Centioli ◽  
I. Kranjc ◽  
...  

In 2015 the European Joint Research Center (JRC) for air quality in Ispra, Italy, carried out an intercomparison for the determination of PM10 and PM2.5 in ambient air. Five laboratories also analyzed the content of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel) in PM10 from filter samples collected during the intercomparison. Thus, all steps from sampling in the field to instrumental quantification of heavy metals in the laboratory could be statistically analyzed. The different techniques of sampling and sample work-up had no significant influence on the analysis results. However, the method of instrumental analysis strongly influenced them: The results of laboratories using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) coincided well in most cases. For laboratories using the Energy Dispersed X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) technique the uncertainty of the results strongly depended on the metal concentration. For cadmium the concentrations generally were too low for analysis by ED-XRF, for arsenic, lead and nickel the relative uncertainties decreased exponentially with increasing concentrations. The relation between metal concentration and the relative uncertainty of analysis results could be described as power functions. Analysis of lead and nickel by ED-XRF is well possible in the range of the EU limit and target values for these metals.


2014 ◽  
Vol 978 ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Bo Han ◽  
Qin Dong ◽  
Yi Diao ◽  
Hui Ping Wei ◽  
Min Jie Li

In this paper, the contents of these elements including Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al, Cd, Pb, Ti and As were determined by ICP-AES technique, which elements originated from maca from different places. Detection limits ranged 0.0022 ug/ml-1 and 0.077ug/ml-1, the relative standard deviations for all these elements were lower than 2%, and recovery rates ranged 95.56% and 106.2%. The results showed that there were rich metal elements in maca from different places; contents of Fe and Al were highest; contents of Mn, Zn, Cu and Ti were moderately high, and contents of As, Cd and Pb were lowest. Futhermore, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn were essential to people’s health, and Al, Cd, As, Pb and Ti had potentially physiologically toxic. Finally, concentrations of elements within macafrom different places were different, which may have some relations with the environment where maca grew. As a result, the determining method which elements of maca. are determined by ICP-AES is rapid, accurate and convenient, and wild macamay contain toxic elements because of pollutional soil and environment, so macacultivated artificially can effectively reduce harmful elements.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 110-113
Author(s):  
Olexandr Ponomarenko ◽  
Anatolyi Samchuk ◽  
Kateryna Vovk ◽  
Igor Shvaika ◽  
Ganna Grodzinskaya

The analytical technologies of sample preparation of rocks and mushrooms using the microwave field for the determination of germanium by the method of mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS analysis) have been developed. Germanium is a rare element. Germanium is homology of silicon and carbon. To date, the definition of low content of germanium in geological objects is a rather complex analytical task, which requires its concentration - extraction, co-precipitation, ion exchange. At present, the harmonious combination of the method of natural objects decomposition in the microwave field and germanium determination using ICP-MS analysis is particularly promising. Sample preparation of silicate rocks for ICP-MS determination of germanium was carried out by decomposition in a mixture of hydrofluoric, phosphate and nitric acids (5: 5: 2) in a microwave oven program at 240°C for 30 min. Sample preparation of mushrooms for ICP-MS germanium determination was carried out according to the following scheme. Initially, the dried sample was sealed in the presence of CaO, after dissolving it in a mixture of HNO3+HF+H3PO4 (6:6:1). Ge solution was extracted by Nazarenko V.A. extraction method. The developed analytical schemes have made it possible to significantly reduce the duration and labor intensity of sample preparation. The obtained solutions were analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The developed method for determining germanium by ICP-MS analysis has been successfully tested on standard rock samples. The obtained results are in accordance with the accepted attribute, the relative standard deviation Sr ranges from 0.7-0.9. The data on the content and distribution of germanium in the Boletales fungi are obtained. They indicate wild mushrooms contain high levels of germanium, especially Boletus and Mushroom biospores. These studies are necessary because the essential properties of germanium and its compounds attract special attention of scientists today. Complementary Ge compounds which have hypotensive, bactericidal, antiviral and antitumor effects have already been synthesized.


2007 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 844-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaare Julshamn ◽  
Amund Maage ◽  
Hilde Skaar Norli ◽  
Karl H Grobecker ◽  
Lars Jorhem ◽  
...  

Abstract Thirteen laboratories participated in an interlaboratory method performance (collaborative) study on a method for the determination of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead by inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) after pressure digestion including the microwave heating technique. Prior to the study, the laboratories were able to practice on samples with defined element levels (pretrial test). The method was tested on a total of 7 foodstuffs: carrot puree, fish muscle, mushroom, graham flour, simulated diet, scampi, and mussel powder. The elemental concentrations in mg/kg dry matter (dm) ranged from 0.0621.4 for As, 0.0328.3 for Cd, 0.040.6 for Hg, and 0.012.4 for Pb. The materials used in the study were presented to the participants as blind duplicates, and the participants were asked to perform single determinations on each sample. The repeatability relative standard deviations (RSDr) for As ranged from 3.8 to 24%, for Cd from 2.6 to 6.9%, for Hg from 4.8 to 8.3%, and for Pb from 2.9 to 27%. The reproducibility relative standard deviations (RSDR) for As ranged from 9.0 to 28%, for Cd from 2.8 to 18%, for Hg from 9.9 to 24%, and for Pb from 8.0 to 50%. The HorRat values were less than 1.5 for all test samples, except for the determination of Pb in wheat flour at a level close to the limit of quantitation (0.01 mg/kg dm). The study showed that the ICP/MS method is satisfactory as a standard method for elemental determinations in foodstuffs.


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