Many colored glass bottles that I have tested have been positive for trace levels of Lead and Cadmium. As a result, my readers have started sending me their supplement bottles to test using XRF technology.
This particular bottle (pictured here on this post) was negative for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and Arsenic. For glass bottles that I have tested that have been positive for trace levels of toxicants, I have no evidence that they may or may not be leaching these toxicants into their contents.
I do feel strongly, however, that supplements and other products that are created and intended to impart health benefits should not be contained in vessels that are positive for any level of Lead or Cadmium.
Brown glass (and even clear glass sometimes) is often positive for Barium, which is used as a colorant.
To see more colored glass items I have tested, click here.
To see more brown glass items I have tested, click here.
Please continue reading to see the XRF readings for each component of this bottle (I did several different tests on the glass to confirm the readings.)
When this small brown glass supplement bottle was tested with an XRF instrument it had the following readings (note: the bottle was tested empty, with none of the supplement inside):
Reading One (Three Minutes):
Side of Bottle (reading through paper wrapper).
- Barium (Ba): 1,318 +/- 143 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 34 +/- 22 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 1,582 +/- 51 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 14 +/- 5 ppm
Reading TWO (Three Minutes):
Bottom of Bottle.
- Iron (Fe): 2,933 +/- 142 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 99 +/- 15 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 323 +/- 26 ppm
- Indium (In): 14 +/- 6 ppm
Reading Three (One Minute):
Rounded Edge Near Top of Bottle.
- Iron (Fe): 3.352 +/- 271 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 107 +/- 29 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 395 +/- 53 ppm
- Indium (In): 23 +/- 10 ppm
Reading Four (One Minute):
Black Rubber Stopper At Top Of Bottle:
- Barium (Ba): 478 +/- 101 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 64 +/- 36 ppm
- Bromine (Br): 28 +/- 8 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 19,500 +/- 200 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 465 +/- 29 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 20 +/- 8 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 880 +/- 194 ppm
Reading Five (One Minute):
Hard Black Plastic Cap At Top Of Bottle:
- Barium (Ba): 259 +/- 101 ppm
- Bromine (Br): 4 +/- 2 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 2,352 +/- 36 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 44 +/- 16 ppm
Reading Six (One Minute):
Clear Glass Dropper Of Bottle:
- Barium (Ba): 1.054 +/- 239 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 231 +/- 44 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 11 +/- 7 ppm
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
I contacted a company that has a lab in my city. This was the “meat” of their response:
“…Our services are primarily for raw material manufacturers, pharmaceutical/nutraceutical production, and botanical/chemical product supplier companies.
The level of testing required for a single test is generally cost-prohibitive for private individuals. You may also try contacting the U.S. FDA or your local health provider.”
I wrote them back and mentioned that I heard that most labs charge $300-$500 US per pill/supplements, but I didn’t get a reply. I live in Canada, but I think this company is international, hence his recommendation that I contact the FDA. Do you know of a place where private individuals can get their nutritional supplements tested? This place sounds like they wouldn’t want to deal with me no matter how much money I offered.
In other news, this is what was posted on November 26th, 2019:
“Health Canada and the Fraser Health Authority are warning about a potential of lead or mercury poisoning from products sold at Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic in Surrey, B.C.”