title: A study on the transfer of heavy methals released by Chinese commercial products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies by The World trade Organization (WTO) and the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) state that the trade on counterfeit goods corresponds to 10% of the global trade and it is worth 450 billion dollars. In this work we studied the transfer of toxic metals released by some Chinese watches causing significant allergic dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Several samples of dust released from metal parts got collected. Such powders were observed at the Electron Microscope complete with EDAX spectrometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all the studied dust samples we identified the following chemical elements: Cu, Ni and Zn. The SEM analysis has identified two predominant phases such as pure nickel and brass alloy (Cu-Zn).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first metal subjected to cession and to corrosion phenomena is nickel. The main causes of corrosion in the studied materials were due to the presence of chloride ions. Among the ceased metals found in our study nickel is the most dangerous. Scientific evidence now agree that nickel and certain nickel compounds are toxic and highly harmful to human health they indeed cause allergic contact dermatitis (DAC).
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Polveri e Fibre, DIL, INAIL, Monte Porzio Catone, Roma. a.olori@inail.it
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olori
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campopiano
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basili
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys / Q000009:adverse effects; D002681:China; D003132:Commerce; D003300:Copper / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D003343:Corrosion; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies; D007391:International Cooperation; D055498:Jewelry / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D015032:Zinc / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D015032:Zinc