Monona Rossol on sun 16 mar 97
Roger Gallardo wrote:
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Can someone please tell us what barium compound is being released
> with your testing. This is important to determine toxicity of the
> compound. An example: barium carbonate is toxic; barium sulphate is
> non-toxic. This is what you drink when you have your stomach
> x-rayed.
> Almost all forms of barium compounds are non-toxic. Another example
> is a frit containing barium. Some people are saying that because a frit
> contains barium, it is toxic, just because it is listed as barium.
> This is false. <
> The barium in a frit is a barium compound and is non-toxic. <
TOTAL NONSENSE.
You are a technical adviser to a ceramic company. You must have access to
the FDA acid leach test method for ceramic ware. Read it over and
***THINK*** If barium is detected on an acid leach test it HAS to be in a
SOLUBLE form. The liquid leachate with the dissolved barium compound is put
in a mass spectrophotometer and read for barium ion.
And it sure is SIMPLE to figure out which soluble compound it is: If the test
is with HCl, then the compound is barium chloride. If the acetic acid test
is used, then it is barium acetate. Sheesh.
And no acid test predicts solubility in the gut. It happens that barium
sulfate goes through you like grass though a goose, but other acid insoluble
compounds don't necessarily have the same fate. For example, a recent study
shows that lead in the blood of test animals ingesting lead monosilicate
frit, lead bisilicate frit, and raw red lead all rise at almost exactly the
same rate.
There is no way to know if a particular barium frit is toxic or not without
ANIMAL TESTS. The gut is not plain acid and water. It contains acid, bases
(further down in the gut), enzymes, cellular materials, heat, movement, and
other mechanisms.
If you need some highly technical information supporting the fact that acid
tests are not predictive of toxicity by ingestion, leave me your S-mail
address. Cate Jenkins from EPA wrote a very detailed discussion of this for
the ASTM D-4236 subcommittee and I'd be glad to send it to you.
DEAR CLAYART PEOPLE: I have said all this so often on Clayart that I hope it
is not boring. But the acid solubility myth just wont die.
Monona Rossol, industrial hygienist
Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety
181 Thompson St., # 23
New York, NY 10012-2586 212/777-0062
http://www.caseweb.com/acts/
Susan Stern on mon 17 mar 97
In a message dated 97-03-16 11:55:18 EST, you write:
<<
DEAR CLAYART PEOPLE: I have said all this so often on Clayart that I hope it
is not boring. But the acid solubility myth just wont die.
>>
Monona,
I, for one, thank you for your responses on this list. Learning how to be
safe is definitely NOT boring! And standing up and saying that some of the
information being passed here as truth is nonsense just may keep some people
healthier a lot longer. Please, please continue to share your concerns and
information with us. Those who don't agree with what you say also have
delete buttons they may choose to use.
Warm Regards,
Susie
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