- In the National Reference Laboratory, tests are carried out to detect the heavy metal in this type of article.
- Some toys may contain materials such as lead and it represents a serious risk because it can affect the central nervous and circulatory systems.
- The accidental consumption of lead can affect the central nervous and circulatory systems of infants.
On the occasion of the traditional celebration of Three Kings, the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) He made an important announcement. He said that he increased the tests carried out at the National Reference Laboratory on toys to verify that they are not a risk to the health of girls and boys.
Some toys may contain materials such as lead, which is a serious risk, as it could, for example, cause affections to the central nervous and circulatory system. This heavy metal could be ingested by children, who in the early stages tend to accidentally bite, suck or ingest the products, or by simply handling a contaminated toy.
For this reason, in the laboratory of Cofepris carries out tests to detect the danger that the pieces could represent based on their size, and performs special tests to identify lead that is commonly applied as a coating on surfacesas well as labels, cardboard, ropes, clothing and other integrated accessories.
How are toys checked?
To start the analysis process, the parts that make up the product are classified according to their size. The smaller ones are inserted through a cylindrical tube with a diagonal start, which imitates the human trachea.
In the event that the piece manages to enter in its entirety, it is analyzed in its entirety; those that do not go through the cylinder are scratched on the paint cover; this process is applied to each color with which the toy is decorated.
With this technique, Cofepris specialists must obtain a minimum of 100 mg of each of the scraped off coatings, in order to submit the product to a new test. As for the stickers, clothing, ropes and other materials that make up the toy, they are cut into 6×6 mm fractions, material that must weigh at least 100 mg.
The samples are subjected to a physical process known as leaching, which consists of obtaining the soluble substance (solute) of a solid in contact with a solvent. For this case, hydrochloric acid is used to simulate the acid conditions in the stomach, in case the toy or a part of it could be swallowed by the child.
This process lasts a total of two hours. First, the samples are shaken for one hour and then they are kept at rest for another hour, protecting them from light. After the total lapse, they are filtered.
To conclude the analysis, the solutes are taken and one of three techniques called: ICP/mass, ICP of optical emission and absorption spectrometry is applied. With them, the amount of lead that can be found in the toy is determined and it is guaranteed that it does not exceed the limit established by official standards.
Recommendations for parents
Given the possible risk to health due to the presence of lead in toys, cofepris It is recommended to preferably purchase those with informative labels, which contain precautionary measures and which guarantee the quality of the product.
Finally, this agency urges verify that the toy is appropriate to the age recommended by the manufacturersince improper use can expose girls and boys to the risk of suffocation due to ingestion of small parts or obstruction in the nostrils and ears.
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