Introduction:
Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety, and she is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009, and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. She uses XRF testing (a scientific method used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for metallic toxicants (including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and Arsenic). To read more about the testing methodology employed for the test results reported on this blog, please click this link.
The test results of most of the consumer goods shared on this blog are from items that have been sent in by my readers for testing and reporting. This is a collaborative effort (with my readers) to help you make informed decisions for your family (so you can have an idea of what to look for [and what you might want to avoid] in making safer choices for your home.)
Thursday – July 29, 2021
Test results for the stainless flask pictured. Scroll down for more pictures.
Here’s an Amazon link for a safer choice: https://amzn.to/3fbxEAk
With the exception of one type of flask (link here) every flask I have tested has been positive for high levels of Lead in the threaded pouring spout and/or the threaded cap that fits on to the pouring spout. These components are often made of high-Lead brass (normally – but not always – with a chrome coating) because that makes them easier to machine / fabricate. In my opinion this is particularly alarming because most people drink right from the spout (when drinking from a flask / using a flask as intended) so users are often putting a Leaded component IN THEIR MOUTH in order to drink from the flask.
The flask pictured in this post (with XRF readings below) does not have a Leaded spout BUT still does have a very high Lead cap – and this is still concerning as (especially in the presence of alcohol – combined with the friction of putting the cap on and off on a regular basis – over time) the coating on the cap can come off and expose the user to Lead particulates (microscopic most likely – but still there) when the put the threaded spout in their mouth.
A simple fix (in this instance) would be to make a Lead-free cap [although the fact that the fake leather is positive for Cadmium, Mercury and Antimony is also concerning (even though the levels are low.)]
For context the cap on this flaks is positive for over 20,000 ppm Lead. Anything 100 ppm Lead (or higher) in the substrate of an item intended for use by children is considered illegal and unsafe for kids to use. There is no regulation limiting the use of Lead in the mouth contact components of an item intended for use by adults (like a flask – or a mug for that matter!)
Reading #1) Threaded top cap (image below)
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): 20,800 +/- 200 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 128 +/- 14 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 355 +/- 60 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 192 +/- 91 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 387 +/- 50 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 6,364 +/- 96 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 182 +/- 43 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 258,600 +/- 500 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 453,600 +/- 700 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 251,600 +/- 600 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 238 +/- 140 ppm
- Nb: 205 +/- 28 ppm
- Indium (In): 39 +/- 14 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 6,879 +/- 68 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 216 +/- 25 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 119 +/- 55 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 134 +/- 56 ppm
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #2) Threaded spout (image below)
60-second test (304 Stainless Steel)
- Chromium (Cr): 181,900 +/- 700 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 1,555 +/- 164 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 8,169 +/- 482 ppm
- Iron (Fe); 722,900 +/- 1,100 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 1,363 +/- 573 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 80,700 +/- 700 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 3,033 +/- 174 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 61 +/- 35 ppm
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #3) Brown “PU leather” (polyurethane faux leather) of case (image below)
60-second test
- Cadmium (Cd): 21 +/- 5 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): 50 +/- 17 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 67,000 +/- 700 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 442 +/- 156 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 8,647 +/- 298 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 273,900 +/- 4,100 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 5,359 +/- 272 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 23,200 +/- 600 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 200 +/- 39 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 77 +/- 16 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 4,681 +/- 321 ppm
- Nb: 1,271 +/- 34 ppm
- Molybdenum (Mo): 1,057 +/- 37 ppm
- Indium (In): 25 +/- 7 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 21 +/- 8 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 28 +/- 12 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 271 +/- 46 ppm
- Gold (Au): 95 +/- 29 ppm
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #4) Tiny cups
60-second test
- Barium (Ba): 14 +/- 8 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 138,800 +/- 600 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 1,285 +/- 144 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 101,500 +/- 800 ppm
- Iron (Fe); 738,100 +/- 1,100 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 11,800 +/- 300 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 8,485 +/- 255 ppm
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #5) Funnel
60-second test
- Barium (Ba): 8 +/- 5 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 108,100 +/- 400 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 794 +/- 83 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 162,700 +/- 600 ppm
- Iron (Fe); 710,600 +/- 800 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 10,600 +/- 200 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 6,860 +/- 153 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 242 +/- 31 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 65 +/- 10 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 20 +/- 13 ppm
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #6) Metal Body of Flask
60-second test – Stainless Teel 304
- Bromine (Br): 18 +/- 5 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 183,500 +/- 500 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 1,512 +/- 115 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 11,000 +/- 300 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 721,300 +/- 800 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 1,427 +/- 404 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 80,400 +/- 500 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 612 +/- 74 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 205 +/- 188 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 27 +/- 10 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 68 +/- 39 ppm
Some additional reading that might be of interest:
- The post discussing the testing methodology used on this website
- Post discussing how to send in an item for testing
- Things that you can test at home.
- Things that might be better tested with an XRF instrument.
- “Can I test things myself at home?”
Thanks for reading. Thank you for sharing my posts. As always, please let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them personally as soon as I have a moment (which may not be right away – but I will try!)
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
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