2018 New Orleans Souvenir Mug: 16,700 ppm Lead, 109 ppm Cadmium.

When tested with an XRF instrument this New Orleans souvenir mug (purchased in New Orleans in 2018, no mark or maker) was positive for high levels of Lead both inside and out.

Continue reading below to see the full XRF test results for this mug.

When testing is done with an XRF instrument, the amount of Lead that is considered toxic / unsafe in the paint, glaze or coating of an item intended for use by children is any level 90 ppm and higher.  Mugs are not considered “items intended for use by children” (unless they are expressly sold as “baby mugs”) and are not regulated in the same way.

Want some ideas for lead-free mugs? Check out this post.

Below are the XRF test results for the mug pictured here. Each different area was tested for at least 60 seconds (for the results reported below.) If a metal is not listed it was not detected.

Colorful Glaze on Outside of Mug:

• Lead (Pb): 16,700 +/- 500 ppm
• Cadmium (Cd): 109 +/- 19 ppm
• Barium (Ba): 1,710 +/- 146 ppm
• Chromium (Cr): 2,047 +/- 209 ppm
• Tin (Sn): 474 +/- 44 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 4,159 +/- 214 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 250 +/- 67 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 2,485 +/- 317 ppm
• Vanadium (V): 3,645 +/- 207 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 1,125 +/- 110 ppm
• Zirconium (Zr): 19,900 +/- 800 ppm
• Platinum (Pt): 470 +/- 144 ppm
• Cobalt (Co): 1,417 +/- 200 ppm

Continue reading below image.

Purple Glaze on Inside Food Surface of Mug:

• Lead (Pb): 2,622 +/- 106 ppm
• Cadmium (Cd): 30 +/- 13 ppm
• Barium (Ba): 3,017 +/- 184 ppm
• Tin (Sn): 3,726 +/- 169 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 306 +/- 49 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 257 +/- 64 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 744 +/- 215 ppm
• Vanadium (V): 3,379 +/- 188 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 7,110 +/- 386ppm
• Indium (In): 43 +/- 18 ppm
• Zirconium (Zr): 13,600 +/- 500 ppm
• Cobalt (Co): 855 +/- 153 ppm

While a newer mug like this has likely been leach tested and determined to be safe at the time of manufacture, I do have concerns with any newly manufactured functional ceramic piece with Lead levels this high. I have even more concern given there is a high Lead glazed area found on the inside food surface of this mug. Please read this post for more details about these concerns.

This mug was given as a gift to my older son, A.J. The minute he received he handed it to me… “Hey mom, I think you should test this!” #SmartKid We will not be using this in our home but I will be adding it to my “Museum of Lead” collection!

As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

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