Gennissy 304 Stainless Steel Hip Flask (8 oz) with three cups: 20,800 ppm Lead + 128 ppm Cadmium + 50 ppm Mercury + 216 ppm Antimony.

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:

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