Plastic Toys Research Articles

An Evaluation of Lead Contamination in Plastic Toys Collected from Day Care Centers in the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, USA

Childhood exposure to environmental lead continues to be a major health concern. This study examined lead content within the plastic of children's toys collected from licensed day care centers in the Las Vegas valley, Nevada. It was hypothesized that the use of lead as a plastics stabilizer would result in elevated lead (≥600ppm) in polyvinyl chloride plastics (PVC) compared to non-PVC plastics. It was also hypothesized that, due to the use of lead chromate as a coloring agent, yellow toys would contain higher concentrations of lead (≥600ppm) than toys of other colors. Toy samples were limited to those found in day care centers in Las Vegas, Nevada. 10day care centers were visited and approximately 50 toy samples were taken from each center. Of the 535 toys tested, 29 contained lead in excess of 600 parts per million (ppm). Of those 29 toys, 20 were PVC and 17 were yellow. Both of the two hypotheses were strongly supported by the data.

Selecting the right toys for your child is not a child′s play

Sir, Toys are essential part of child’s early years of life. Toys serve multiple purposes in child’s development. Toys not only provide entertainment but also fulfill some educational role. A toy enhances observational capacity and stimulates creativity. They play major role in development of physical as well as mental skills which are necessary in later life. Today the rising issue is “whether the toys are safe enough?” It is little known that toys which give immense joy to children could also provide grief to them as well as to their parents. Toys could potentially be dangerous to their health or life threatening for several reasons. We all know babies put every single thing they get in their little hands into their mouth and that include the lovely, bright and colorful plastic toys we buy. But research has now shown that those very small plastic toys could be poisoning your baby every single time they put it into their mouth.(1) A campaign launched by Generation Green in the late 1990s focused on phthalates and their risks to kids. Phthalates are chemicals used to soften PVC plastic. They could be ingested by children when sucking on toys or baby products made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Ingestion of phthalates has been linked to increased risks of cancer, kidney damage and interference with reproductive development. (2) In India the study conducted by Toxic Link, an environmental NGO, showed that dangerous levels of lead and cadmium were found in PVC soft toys collected from wholesale markets of Mumbai, one of the largest manufacturing and supply centres for unbranded toys. PVC is a synthetic resin used as the basic material in plastics, among other things. The study indicates that children are being exposed to severe health hazards caused by these metals, ranging from liver damage to disruption in mental growth. Plastics like PVC are chemically dependant, and need additives like lead, cadmium and other chemicals to make them usable. However, these additives leach from the PVC and contaminate human bodies, putting especially children at risk. Lead and cadmium are proven poisons, being neurotoxins and nephrotoxins, respectively. Similar studies were conducted in Chennai and Delhi but there are no legal and binding standards that stipulate the safe limits of heavy metal content in toys (plastic or otherwise) that are made locally or imported. (3) A similar kind of study was done by the Consumer Unity and Trust Society as premier consumer rights organization. (4) Many countries have passed safety standards limiting the types of toys that can be sold. Most of these seek to limit potential hazards. Children, especially very small ones, often put toys into their mouths, so the materials used to make a toy are regulated to prevent poisoning. Materials are also regulated to prevent fire hazards. Children have not yet learned to judge what is safe and what is dangerous, and parents do not always think of all possible situations, so such warnings and regulations are important on toys.(5) In India though the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has clearly formulated the standards relating to toy safety in terms of their physical form and toxicity, most of the manufacturers are either not following safety norms or are completely oblivious of the same. (4) The enforcement of guidelines is yet to be made mandatory for domestic toy manufacturers. Toys, particularly soft PVC toys, have not been investigated as one of the possible sources of harmful metals.(3) India is also a huge market for non-branded toys from other countries like China where the regulation and norms for toys manufacturing are not followed strictly and bear potential danger to the children. Government authorities need to take effective steps to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of toys as per the formulated norms. Role of parents is most important in this issue. To protect the child from any injury or hazard from toys, parents must follow some guidelines. Parents should avoid buying non-branded toys, plastic toys, toys on internet, and brightly colored toys as they contain higher content of lead. Also, parents should carefully read the instructions given on the toys or its manual; preferably buy toys made up of cloths or wooden. If the child is having frequent health problems without any obvious reason, seek experts opinion as it can be due to the toys he is playing with, supervise your child while playing with toys to avoid any mouth contact with it. These are some simple things that can be done to avoid any injury or hazard to your child.

A Case of Intestinal Obstruction Due to Ingestion of a Plastic Toy

A Case of Intestinal Obstruction Due to Ingestion of a Plastic Toy

Novel fluorimetric bulk optode membrane based on 5,8-bis((5′-chloro-8′-hydroxy-7′-quinolinyl)methyl)-2,11-dithia-5,8-diaza-2,6-pyridinophane for selective detection of lead(II) ions

A novel fluorescence chemical sensor for the highly sensitive and selective determination of Pb(2+) ions in aqueous solutions is described. The preliminary potentiometric and spectrofluorimetric complexation studies in solution revealed that the lipophilic ligand 5,8-bis((5'-chloro-8'-hydroxy-7'-quinolinyl)methyl)-2,11-dithia-5,8-diaza-2,6-pyridinophane (L2) forms a highly stable and selective [PbL2](2+) and [Pb(L2)(2)](2+) complexes which results in a strong fluorescence quenching of the ligand. Thus, a novel fluorescence Pb(2+) sensing system was prepared by incorporating L2 as a neutral lead-selective fluoroionophore in the plasticized PVC membrane containing tetrakis(p-chlorophenyl) borate as a liphophilic anionic additive. The response of the sensor is based on the strong selective fluorescence quenching of L2 by Pb(2+) ions. At pH 5.5, the proposed sensor displays a calibration curve over a wide concentration range of 3.0 x 10(-7) to 2.5x 10(-2)M with a relatively fast response time of less than 5 min. In addition to high stability, reversibility and reproducibility, the sensor shows a unique selectivity towards Pb(2+) ion with respect to common coexisting cations. The proposed fluorescence optode was successfully applied to the determination of lead in plastic toys and tap water samples.

Coma in a 20-Month-Old Child From an Ingestion of a Toy Containing 1,4-Butanediol, A Precursor of γ-Hydroxybutyrate

Ingestion of plastic toys is common in children and usually does not result in harm. We report a case of coma in a 20-month-old child after an ingestion of a toy containing 1,4-butanediol, an industrial solvent used to manufacture plastics. When ingested, 1,4-butanediol is metabolized to gamma-hydroxybutyrate, which can have significant systemic effects including death. Health care providers should suspect the possibility of a toxic component when a presumed nontoxic object causes unusual symptoms.

Rapid and Simple Determination of Phthalates in Plastic Toys by a Thermal Desorption-GC/MS Method

A thermal desorption (TD)-GC/MS method was applied for the determination of phthalates in plastic children's toys. The method, which does not need any cumbersome sample pretreatment such as solvent extraction, filtration and derivatization, has been proved to be useful not only as a sensitive analytical method to evaluate phthalate concentration in the toys, but also as a rapid and practical screening method to check whether the concentration exceeds the regulatory limit.

LEGO lightens photonics

Researchers in Japan have shown that it is possible to use standard 'off-the-shelf' plastic toy parts to construct low-cost and light-weight optical components.

F-47 TXRF and Micro-XRF Analysis of Plastic Toys and Soils

An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content.

Brominated Flame Retardants in Children’s Toys: Concentration, Composition, and Children’s Exposure and Risk Assessment

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) were found in children's toys purchased from South China. The median BFR concentrations in the hard plastic toys were 53,000, 5540 ng/g, 101.1 ng/g, and 27.9 ng/g, fortotal PBDEs, DBDPE, BTBPE, and PBBs, respectively,which were notably higher than values in other toys. The PBDE concentrations were below the threshold limit (1000 ppm) required bythe European Commission's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives in all of the toys, except for one hard plastic toy with a total PBDE concentration of 5,344,000 ng/g. The BFR profiles in the toys were consistent with the patterns of their current production and consumption in China, where PBDEs, specifically decaBDE product, were the dominant BFR, followed by the emerging DBDPE. The relatively high concentrations of octa- and nonaBDEs in the foam toys and the results of principal component analysis (PCA) may suggest the decomposition of highly brominated BDEs during the manufacturing processes of the toys. Daily total PBDE exposures associated with toys via inhalation, mouthing, dermal contact, and oral ingestion ranged from 82.6 to 8992 pg/kg bw-day for children of 3 months to 14 years of age. Higher exposures, predominantly contributed through the mouthing pathway, were observed for infants and toddlers than for the other subgroups. In most cases, children's BFR exposure via the toys likely accounts for a small proportion of their daily BFR exposure, and the hazard quotients for noncancer risk evaluation were far below 1. To the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the concentrations of BFRs in toys, and the potential exposures to children.

Study of Relationship between Consumption of Potassium Permanganate and Total Organic Carbon on Plastic Kitchen Utensils, Food Packages and Toys

Consumption of potassium permanganate and total organic carbon (TOC) were investigated as indices of total organic matter migrated into water from plastic kitchen utensils, food packages and toys for children. The samples were soaked in water at 60 or 95 degrees C for 30 min for kitchen utensils and food packages, and at 40 degrees C for 30 min for toys and the eluates were examined, using the two indices. The quantitation limits were both 0.5 microg/mL. Among 97 kitchen utensils and food packages tested, consumption of potassium permanganate and TOC were 0.5-10.9 microg/mL and ND-18.9 microg/mL for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tea-pot spouts and nylon kitchen utensils, respectively. Among 32 toys tested, the levels were 0.8-45.5 microg/mL and 0.5-8.9 microg/mL from PVC toys and block toys made by ethylene vinyl acetate resin. The levels for other samples were very low. There were large discrepancies between consumption of potassium permanganate and TOC for some PVC products and nylon kitchen utensils. The cause may be a marked difference of the oxidation decomposition rate by potassium permanganate, depending on the kind of organic matter that migrated from the plastics.

Estudo de metais e de substâncias tóxicas em brinquedos

The main goal of the present study is the analysis of toxic elements in plastic toys commercialized in Brazil. Metals like cadmium, lead, chromium, zinc, and aluminum, along with organic substances, such as phthalates, were identified in different toys by quantitative analytical techniques. Traces of thorium were detected in one of the studied samples. Although the measured radioactive dose was rather low, the presence of such a radioactive contaminant is against to the International Agency of Atomic Energy regulations. Similar toys manufactured in Brazil were analyzed and found to observe the standards defined by the National Institute of Metrology (Inmetro).

Application of Experimental Design to the Optimization of a Wet Acid Digestion Procedure for Cd Determination in Plastic Materials by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

ABSTRACT A simple and reliable method for Cd determination in plastic materials using optimized wet acid digestion procedure and atomic absorption spectroscopy was developed. In order to obtain the best experimental conditions for plastic digestion, a 27–4 Plackett-Burman design for screening the significant factors and a 24–1 central composite design to optimize the significant experimental variables were carried out. The polyethylene European Reference Material ERM-EC680 with certified Cd content was used in both the screening and the optimization steps. The optimized experimental conditions 0.200 g of plastic material digested with 2 mL nitric acid (30 min, 130°C) followed by 1 mL sulfuric acid (30 min, 140°C). The accuracy and precision was checked using ERM-EC680. The Cd recovery was 101.3% and the relative standard deviation was 5.6%. The limit of detection obtained was 0.23 mg kg−1. The method was applied in the analysis of one PVC plastic material, several commercial packaging materials, and plastic toys.

Nasal Foreign Body Removal in Children

Nasal foreign bodies in children are often managed in the pediatric emergency department. The child is usually between 2 and 4 years old, and the foreign body is most commonly a plastic toy or bead. Nasal foreign bodies are removed by a number of techniques. Positive-pressure expulsion is accomplished by orally applied pressure via a parent's mouth or an Ambu bag or by nasally applied pressure via a catheter or an oxygen source. The object can be washed out with nasally applied saline. Direct mechanical extraction is possible with a variety of tools, including forceps, hooks, or balloon-tipped catheters. Each method carries its own risks and benefits. Serious complications of nasal foreign bodies include posterior dislodgement and aspiration, trauma caused by the object itself or removal attempts, infection, and choanal stenosis. Magnets and button batteries require emergent removal as they carry the risk of septal perforation or necrosis, which may develop within a relatively short time.

Exploring ‘extreme’ physics with an inexpensive plastic toy popper

This article describes an activity that can be performed with an inexpensive plastic toypopper. The activity builds skill at analysing motion and results in the calculation of asurprisingly extreme acceleration.

Influence of different types of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems: 3. Hanging toy versus rootable toy of the same material

This study aimed to assess the effects of (1) environmental enrichment with either straw bedding or a plastic toy and (2) the way in which the plastic toy was presented on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems. One thousand and twenty four (Large White × Landrace) × Large White pigs were housed contemporarily in either a straw-based (ST) or fully slatted (FS) building from 35 kg to slaughter at 104 kg. In each building, half of the pens received additional environmental enrichment in the form of a hanging plastic toy. The remaining pens in the ST house were enriched only by the straw bedding. In the FS house, the remaining pens were provided with a rootable toy of the same plastic material presented on the floor of the pen. There was no significant effect of housing system on the level of manipulation of the hanging toy. Within the FS system, the level of manipulation of the hanging toy tended to be higher than that of the plastic toy presented on the floor ( P = 0.052). Neither form of additional environmental enrichment provided a comparable level of occupation to that of straw bedding. In the absence of straw, more investigatory behaviours were directed towards both pen-mates ( P < 0.001) and pen components ( P < 0.001). Further study is required to identify functional forms of environmental enrichment in slatted systems to occupy pigs and prevent them from performing adverse behaviours.

Bumper stickers reveal link to road rage

Bumper stickers such as "Make Love, Not War" and "More Trees, Less Bush" speak volumes about a vehicle's driver -- but maybe not in the way they might hope. People who customize their cars with stickers and other adornments are more prone to road rage than other people, according to researchers in Colorado. The number of road rage incidents -- bouts of aggressive driving such as speeding or tailgating (close following), or confrontations with other motorists -- has risen dramatically in recent years. In 1995 the American Automobile Association found 12,000 injuries and 200 deaths were linked to US road rage. In 2008, the numbers are estimated to exceed 25,000 injuries and 370 deaths, and many more road rage incidents, especially those that do not lead to injury, go unrecorded. Psychologist William Szlemko and his colleagues at Colorado State University in Fort Collins wondered whether increasingly crowded roads might be contributing to rising tempers. The volume of vehicles on US roads has gone up by 35% since 1987, whereas the road network has swelled by only 1%. In humans, as in many other species, overcrowding leads to increased territorial aggression, and the team suspected that this was what was happening on the roads. What are you driving at? Szlemko and his colleagues quizzed hundreds of volunteers about their cars and driving habits. Participants were asked to describe the value and condition of their cars, as well as whether they had personalized them in any way. The researchers recorded whether people had added seat covers, bumper stickers, special paint jobs, stereos and even plastic dashboard toys. They also asked questions about how the participants responded to specific driving situations. To keep the participants from realizing that the team was collecting information about aggressive driving, questions such as "If someone is driving slow in the fast lane, how angry does this make you?" were interspersed with decoy questions such as "What kind of music do you listen to in the car?". Szlemko's team used a pre-existing scale called "Use of vehicle to express anger" to diagnose the presence of road rage in their participants. Language: en

Eating at the Buffet of Love: “Consummating” Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding in Vancouver

Food and the communal consumption and enjoyment of food are a focal point of Italian wedding receptions in North America as in Italy (Harney 265), but food and eating take centre stage only briefly in Hoarse Raven Theatre’s Vancouver production of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. Vinnie Black, the caterer character, introduces the wedding feast, his “Buffet of Love,” with silly pomp: accompanied by dramatic music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Vinnie lopes through the reception hall wrapped in an Italian flag and waving a plastic light-sabre toy and effuses into the microphone about how the buffet food has been lovingly prepared. But the fanfare quickly dies down. Even as the first table of audience members queues to load its plates with pasta, chicken, and salads, the antic, diffuse plot of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding continues to unfold. The food, in its comforting abundance, quietly gives up the spotlight.

PolyOne OnColor™ BIO Colorants used in new environmentally friendly plastic toys from Green Toys™

PolyOne OnColor™ BIO Colorants used in new environmentally friendly plastic toys from Green Toys™

Real-time nondestructive imaging with THz waves

We present a real-time imaging measurement in the terahertz (THz) frequency region. The dynamic subtraction technique is used to reduce long-term optical background drift. The reflective images of two targets, a Nikon camera’s lens cap and a plastic toy gun, are obtained. For the lens cap, the image data were processed to be false-color images. For the toy gun, we show that even under an optically opaque canvas bag, a clear terahertz image is obtained. It is shown that terahertz real-time imaging can be used to nondestructively detect concealed objects.

LISA JACOBSON. Raising Consumers: Children and the Mass Market in the Early Twentieth Century. (Popular Cultures, Everyday Lives.) New York: Columbia University Press. 2004. Pp. xii, 299. $24.00

Who could forget the moment of discovering that money can buy happiness? The crisp bills inside a birthday card exchanged for a coveted toy, or a week's allowance blown all at once in an orgy of candy bars and soda pop? For some, the painful lessons of consumer disappointment also lingered: the carefully hoarded box-tops finally redeemed for a cheap plastic toy or the “sea monkeys” charmingly described on a bubblegum wrapper that turned out to be nothing more than brine shrimp. Lisa Jacobson describes allowances and box-top premiums as part of a larger children's consumer culture. This culture, she argues, stretches back to the early twentieth century and was well established by the 1920s and 1930s. Through a series of case studies, she examines children's socialization as consumers and future citizens of what Lizabeth Cohen has influentially described as a “consumer's republic.” Mass marketers were among the first to recognize the economic potential of child consumers. They reached out through the pages of magazines such as St. Nicholas and American Boy and later, through radio programs that included elaborate contests and promotions. Jacobson carefully details the ways these campaigns were gendered and also gives some attention to the role of ethnicity in shaping consumption—most vividly in novelist Joseph Heller's account of his unsuccessful childhood efforts to convince his Jewish mother to buy Wheaties. His yearning was denied because that bright orange box lacked the mark of rabbinical approval. Jacobson nicely analyzes cultural ambivalence about childhood consumption that threatened to turn the Victorian innocent into a “mercenary little wretch” (p. 3). She dedicates one of the book's most original chapters to the history of children's savings banks, showing how this movement was designed to teach children to channel and discipline their spending. Another chapter considers the role of consumption in experts' promotion of play as a way to strengthen the companionate family.