title: The problem of lead in mexican pottery.
abstract: Much public attention has been focused in the United States on utilitarian Mexican pottery as a source of lead poisoning. Our work demonstrates that, if a firing temperature of at least 1150 degrees is used, lead-glazed earthenware is made safe for the storage and preparation of foods. Examination by d.c. arc emission spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction shows that the lead then remains in crystalline form. An exchange-equilibrium for lead between solutions and earthenware material is postulated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Herbert H. Lehman College, Bronx, New York 10468, U.S.A.
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Spielholtz
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Kaplan