Children's Jewelry Research Articles

Metals as toxicants in event-based expedited production of children's jewelry.

Globally, the hazardous substance in children's goods is of great concern. Toxic chemicals are potentially harmful to the health and growth of infants and children. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd)-contaminated children's jewelry is widely encountered in many countries. This study aims to determine the concentration of metal toxicants (Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, and Fe) in event-based (Independence Day festival) children's jewelry, considering time-limited and fast production products that may compromise the quality and safety parameters during manufacturing. The determinations are for the time-constraint industrial production of children's jewelry in the context of the toxic substances in a variety of base materials used. This is the first time event-based children's jewelry has been monitored and critically assessed for metal contamination. Forty-two samples, including metallic, wooden, textile, rubber, plastic, and paint-coated plastic children's jewelry, were tested. Seventy-four percent of samples detected Pb and Cd in quantifiable amounts. Ni in 71%, Cu in 67%, Co in 43%, and Zn and Fe were detected in 100% samples with quantifiable amounts. Twenty-two ID-CJ samples exceeded the US regulatory limit for Pb and four samples for Cd. However, twenty-nine samples for Pb, eleven for Cd, five for Co, and one for Cu exceeded the EU regulatory limit. The highest concentration of Pb was found in paint-coated plastic jewelry, and the highest Cd was found in metallic jewelry. These results suggest that the potential hazards of event-based children's jewelry deserve the attention of government agencies seeking to limit children's exposure to toxic chemicals. Intergovernmental organizations and individual countries regulate chemicals in consumer products, but a coordinated international approach is lacking. Some continents and countries still lack in regulations for children's products, especially jewelry, and toys.

Lead in children's jewelry: the impact of regulation.

In 2016 we identified a regulatory gap in Israel reflecting a lack of restrictions on lead in children's jewelry. We conducted surveys that found high levels of lead in children's jewelry. Following the findings, a new standard restricting lead content was introduced in 2018. The goal of this study is to assess whether the new standard had an impact on lead concentrations in children's jewelry on the market 4 months after entry into force, and to examine factors that influenced the standard's effectiveness. Thirty-five items of children's jewelry were sampled from stores in Israel in 2018. Lead content of 130 subsamples of these items was tested with X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF). We compared these findings to those before the introduction of the standard. We also conducted five structured interviews with professionals from government ministries, industry and expert bodies to examine factors influencing the standard's enactment and implementation. 17% of jewelry samples exceeded the ASTM lead standard in 2018 compared with 50% in 2016. The mean of the jewelry subsamples analyzed in 2018 was 936 (±1700) compared to 1420 (±5740) ppm in 2016. Scientific and regulatory consensus among those setting the new standard led to its swift enactment. However, enforcement challenges may reduce the standard's impact. A new standard on lead in children's jewelry was followed by a decline in lead concentrations, but some products with lead exceedances remained available on the market. Public health campaigns, standards and compliance monitoring, and higher penalties will all help to reach the goal of protecting public health.

Buyer beware: Inexpensive, high cadmium jewelry can pose severe health risks

The use of cadmium to produce inexpensive jewelry has recently been documented. Governments have adopted varying standards, with US states focused on either total cadmium content or extractable cadmium from children's jewelry, while the European Union has adopted a limit of 100 mg/kg cadmium for all jewelry. This study evaluated 80 items purchased at a discount jewelry store. The objective was to determine prevalence of cadmium in this jewelry, the amount of cadmium released by simulated mouthing or ingestion, and to confirm previous reports that damage to jewelry can increase cadmium release. Finally, a modified toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) assessed the potential for jewelry to release cadmium after disposal. Thirty-two (40%) items showed detectable cadmium by X-ray fluorescence. Nine high‑cadmium pendants and rings with cadmium content ranging from 31.3 to 89.2% were subjected to extractions simulating mouthing or ingestion. Seven of nine items extracted in dilute saline to simulate mouthing released more than the US recommended maximum of 18 micrograms. Damaged jewelry released more cadmium for most items tested, with one ring yielding an average of 10,600 micrograms. Two pendants small enough to be swallowed were tested using dilute HCl to simulate ingestion. While one pendant did not release cadmium in excess of the US recommended maximum of 200 micrograms even when damaged, the other released an average of 63,100 micrograms after being damaged. Fourteen of fifteen samples of two high cadmium charms extracted using a modified TCLP extraction exceeded the 1.0 mg/L TCLP limit for cadmium, averaging 13.1 and 9.6 mg/L respectively for the two charms. These results demonstrate that high‑cadmium jewelry may pose a serious hazard if mouthed or ingested, and that regulatory standards that do not take into account the potential for increased release of cadmium resulting from damage to jewelry electroplating are inadequate.

Contamination by eleven harmful elements in children's jewelry and toys from Central Asian market.

Contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in children's toys and jewelry is an ongoing problem, and there is evidence in the literature that the issue is shifting towards developing countries and small markets. The present research aims (1) to characterize total concentrations of eleven PTEs (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in children's jewelry and toys purchased from the Central Asian market (n = 65), and (2) to investigate the relationship between the extent of contamination and sample categories/properties. The laboratory analyses showed that the majority of the samples had PTEs above the total and soluble limits for PTEs stated in the USA, Canadian, and the EU legislation. Particularly for metallic toys and jewelry (n = 46), the total concentrations in 45 samples exceeded the EU migration limits for one or more PTEs. In particular, Cu and Zn concentrations were extremely high (up to 100%) in many samples and highly toxic Cd and Pb were present in elevated quantities in several articles. Contamination was also present, albeit to a much lesser extent, in other toy categories: brittle/pliable toys for Co and Cr, plastic toys and jewelry for Pb, and other toys for Co. Although average values and visual observations suggested evidence, no statistically significant relationship between PTE concentrations and sample properties (color, price, and degree of appeal) could be found. The findings supported the evidence that the contamination issue in children's jewelry and toys by PTEs is an ongoing issue in developing countries. Very high total concentrations of PTEs particularly found in several metallic samples warrant further investigation of migratable concentrations. Thus, conducting bioaccessibility tests and a subsequent human health risk characterization is recommended. Overall, there is a potential risk for children in the case of exposure to PTEs from children's jewelry and toys sold on the Central Asian market. More effective enforcement of legislation for consumer goods in the region and raising public awareness regarding chemicals in children's products are recommended.

Hidden risks in toys: A systematic review of pediatric toy contact dermatitis.

Toys are a reflection of the compounds used frequently in manufacturing. Allergic contact dermatitis to potties, metal toys, and children's jewelry is well known, however, there is a broad range of skin risks in toys. With the objective to identify and publicize the associated risk of contact dermatitis in children's toys, we have searched the PubMed database from creation to September 9, 2019. Studies were eligible if they reported a new case of contact dermatitis secondary to interaction with a toy in patients from birth to 18 years of age. A toy was defined as something children interact with for entertainment during leisure time. In this review of the PubMed database we filtered by age and language which may have prevented us from detecting cases in adults that could be extrapolated to children. In addition, several articles were excluded based on title alone. A total of 1312 articles were identified and reviewed manually for inclusion criteria. Review of the articles found 25 original articles for consideration. Several toys were found to be associated with contact dermatitis. These included electronics, toy cars, costume jewelry, bicycles, sqwish balls, slime, Play-Doh, and plasticine. Electronics such as video game controllers, cellphones, iPads, and computers were implicated. In conclusion, there is still an unmet need for observation of this segment of industry for labeling of contents and ongoing surveillance.

Fad over fatality? The hazards of amber teething necklaces.

Despite a growing number of injuries, no studies exist to date that quantitatively assess the strangulation risk of amber teething necklaces. The objectives of this study are to determine (a) if these necklaces release with the force required according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Specification for Consumer Product Safety for Mechanical Requirements of Children's Jewelry, and (b) if they release with the mean force required to occlude a young child's airway, as determined in a study designed to inform manufacturing of products to reduce risk of accidental strangulation. Fifteen amber teething necklaces were purchased from retailers in Atlantic Canada. Necklaces were tested using the Breakaway Tension Test method reported in ASTM guidelines. Necklaces were tested with a 15 pound weight (industry standard) and with a 1.6 pound weight (mean force required to occlude a child's airway). It was recorded whether the necklace released or remained intact at the end of each trial. Seven of fifteen necklaces did not open with 15 lbs of force. Eight of 10 necklaces tested did not open with 1.6 lbs of force. Almost 50% of our sample failed to open with 15 pounds of force, which is the force used in the ASTM standard for children's jewelry. Eighty per cent of our sample failed to open with 1.6 pounds of force, which was the mean force to occlude a young child's airway in a published study. These necklaces pose a strangulation risk to young children if they were to become caught.

Concentrations of trace metals, phthalates, bisphenol A and flame-retardants in toys and other children's products in Israel

Trace metals and synthetic chemicals including phthalates, bisphenol A and flame retardants, are widely used in toys and childcare products, and may pose acute or chronic adverse health effects in children. In Israel, certain chemicals are regulated in childcare products, but there are still regulatory gaps. We tested regulated and unregulated contaminants in 174 item parts from 70 childcare items with potentially high oral or dermal exposure, including 22 children's jewelry items, 14 toys, 7 diaper-changing mats, 6 baby mattresses, 7 baby textiles and 14 feeding and bathing items. In children's jewelry, an unregulated product in Israel, 23% of samples exceeded the US standard for lead. In toys, a regulated product, we did not detect trace metals above the Israeli standard. In textiles, baby mattresses and diaper-changing mats, phthalates exceeded the European Union standard in 14–45% of tests with a mean of 6.74% by mass for diisononyl phthalate, and 1.32% by mass for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. BPA migration exceeded the EU standard in 14–45% of tests with a mean of 1.03 ppm. The flame retardants polybrominated biphenyls, pentabromodiphenyl, octabromodiphenyl ether, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate and tris-(aziridinyl)-phosphine oxide were not detected. For products regulated in Israel, our findings suggest general compliance with mandatory standards. However, a lack of comprehensive chemical regulation means that there are regulatory gaps, and products not regulated in Israel may contain high levels of chemical contamination, exceeding US or EU regulations. The results of this study have prompted the development of an Israeli safety standard for children's jewelry.

Regulation of chemicals in children's products: How U.S. and EU regulation impacts small markets

Toys and children's products may contain trace metals and organic compounds that are potentially harmful to the health and development of infants and young children. Intergovernmental organizations and individual countries regulate chemicals in consumer products, but a coordinated international approach is lacking. This paper examines the implications of chemical regulation in children's products in large markets for a smaller market, namely Israel. We compared chemical regulations in children's products in the U.S., EU and Israel, and conducted in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders in the Israeli product standardization process. Israel adopted EU chemical standards for certain chemicals (e.g., trace metals, phthalates) but not others (e.g., bisphenol A, flame retardants, trace metals in children's jewelry). Israeli regulation of chemicals in consumer products relies on regulations in large markets such as the U.S. and EU, which therefore have impacts beyond their territories. However, Israel adopts only product-specific standards and has regulatory gaps due to the lack of an overarching regulatory approach that exists in the U.S. and the EU. Furthermore, Israeli policy is to adopt parallel standards from large markets in order to remove trade barriers, despite their different approaches to chemical regulation, an approach which prioritizes trade considerations over health considerations. We conclude with policy recommendations for Israel, which have relevance for other small markets.

Estimating children's exposure to toxic elements in contaminated toys and children's jewelry via saliva mobilization

Children's potential for exposure to potentially toxic elements in contaminated jewelry and toys via mouth contact has not yet been fully evaluated. Various toys and jewelry (metallic toys and jewelry [MJ], plastic toys, toys with paint or coating, and brittle/pliable toys; n = 32) were tested using the saliva extraction (mouthing) compartment of the DIN and RIVM bioaccessibility protocols to assess As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Se mobilization via saliva. Total concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Sb were found elevated in analyzed samples. Four metals were mobilized to saliva from 16 MJ in significant quantities (>1 μg for highly toxic Cd and Pb, >10 μg for Cu and Ni). Bioaccessible concentrations and hazard index values for Cd exceeded limit values, for young children between 6 mo- and 3 yr-old and according to both protocols. Total and bioaccessible metal concentrations were different and not always correlated, encouraging the use of bioaccessibility for more accurate hazard assessments. Bioaccessibility increased with increasing extraction time. Overall, the risk from exposure to toxic elements via mouthing was high only for Cd and for MJ. Further research on children's exposure to toxic elements following ingestion of toy or jewelry material is recommended.

Assessment of leaching potential of highly leaded jewelry

Lead is a potent neurotoxin particularly toxic to young children, and in response to recent poisonings of children and high levels of lead contamination in children's jewelry, US regulatory standards for lead content in these items have become much more stringent. Parents are often advised to throw out suspect items in the trash. While household wastes are generally exempt from consideration as hazardous waste, the potential for leaching of hazardous quantities of lead from such items is unknown. A modified Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), in which intact jewelry components were subjected to leaching, was used to evaluate the potential for leaching of lead from highly leaded jewelry. Of 62 jewelry components tested, 61 exceeded the US regulatory standard for lead of 5 mg/L, and leachate lead concentrations averaged 1460 mg/L. Twenty-six of the component items tested yielded TCLP lead concentrations exceeding 1000 mg/L. These results demonstrate that highly leaded jewelry items may leach significant amounts of lead, and provide another reason to remove lead from these products. Furthermore, these results suggest that while the volume of such items in the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream is small, they have the potential to contribute significant quantities of lead to MSW leachates.