Below is the full XRF reading set for the vintage red 4 x 12 Lego® block / panel pictured here (tests are replicable and were done for a minimum of three minutes – 180 seconds):
- Lead (Pb): negative
- Cadmium (Cd): 7,659 +/- 59 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): negative
- Arsenic (As): 39 +/- 7 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 829 +/- 71 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): negative
- Antimony (Sb): negative
- Selenium (Se): 2,821 +/- 23 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 277 +/- 9 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 139 +/- 15 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 11 +/- 4 ppm
- Additional metals not listed were not detected by the XRF instrument.
The level of Cadmium found in this particular block is considered very unsafe for young children to play with (and far exceeds modern applicable regulatory standards).
In the absence of testing each particular Lego® piece in your home (which would be cost prohibitive) vintage red & yellow Legos from the 1970s and 1980s should be disposed of and replaced with their new modern (safe) counterparts.
Here’s a link where you can read all of my posts related to Legos®!
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
I don’t see any info on Duplos. I found that they were created in 1961 so are we to assume the same results for them as their parents, the Legos?