Cadmium and lead concentrations in acid food simulants: the values of validation parameters are predominantly affected by interspecific differences of utensils.
The obvious toxicity of cadmium and lead is at the basis of compulsory concentration determinations for lixiviation solutions of ceramic and earthenware household receptacles such as cups, plates, bowls and others. Concentrations in the food simulant which exceed 0.100 +/- 0.005 mg Cd dm-2 and 1.00 +/- 0.05 mg Pb dm-2 for flat receptacles, 0.500 +/- 0.025 mg Cd l-1 and 5.00 +/- 0.25 mg Pb l-1 for low volume (< 5 l) receptacles and 0.250 +/- 0.025 mg Cd l-1 and 2.50 +/- 0.25 mg Pb l-1 for high volume (> 5 l) receptacles are not acceptable and measures were taken by the EU member state authorities to enforce these norm concentrations. Generally, the uncertainty on the results forwarded by the legislation amounts to 5%. This value does not at all match the pronounced variability observed for several 'identical' trade samples, but rather represents the inherent variability of spectrometric analyses alone. Considering that the coefficients of variation can be as high as approximately 30%, either the ranges of acceptable concentrations or the maximal allowable concentrations should be corrected. Aware of the negative health effects of heavy metal contamination and of the risk increase due to dietary intake, a downward adjustment of the acceptable concentration ranges to 0.07 mg Cd dm-2 +/- 12%, 0.30 mg Cd l-1 +/- 12% and 0.10 mg Cd l-1 +/- 12% and to 0.8 mg Pb dm-2 +/- 13%, 4.0 mg Pb l-1 +/- 13% and 1.50 mg Pb l-1 +/- 13% is suggested.
Bolle
F
F
Brussels Research Unit for Environmental, Geochemical and Life Science Studies (BRUEGEL), Wetenschappelijk, Instituut Volksgezondheid, Brussels, Belgium.
Parmentier
K
K
Baeyens
W
W
De Beer
J
J
Goeyens
L
L
D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D003297:Cooking and Eating Utensils; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead