Edouard Bastarache on mon 8 apr 02
Hello Gavin,
I preferred to get information from the horse's mouth before answering.
I got in touch with my on-line friend Smart.Conseil in France.
Smart works for a large luxury earthenware factory in France using
lead compounds and sits as a France's representative on the
European Market's comittee for the safety of glazes.
Here is his take on lead frits in pottery:
"Hi ED,
Lead frits are less and less used because of the regulations on heavy met=
als
in the finished wares, but I cannot remember having heard that they were
toxic for workers and that cases of intoxication had been dscribed here a=
s
being caused from working with these frits.
Toxicity could depend on the stability of the vitreous matrix containing
lead, on the fineness
crushed particles, on the pH of the water or of the enamel bath...
Generally if one uses the ratio of Thorpe (or Mellor) in a frit or a glaz=
e,
one obtains a rather reliable indication on the risk of release of lead
(solubility in acid solution) of the compound used.
Cordialement, Smart.
Smart.Conseil
Le site Fran=E7ais d=E9di=E9 aux passionn=E9s de c=E9ramique
The French site dedicated to ceramics lovers
smart2000@wanadoo.fr
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/
(Langue Fran=E7aise par d=E9faut : Tutoiement =E0 la "Qu=E9b=E9coise")
I will answer your other questions later,
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
| |
|
