Introduction:
Tamara Rubin is a Federal award winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention. 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.
September 10, 2021 – Friday
The primary concern with Lead in modern tile is the concern for demolition (or cutting). You can read more about that on this link.
Video 1
View this post on Instagram
Video 2
View this post on Instagram
Test results for each tile pictured (& discussed) above.
1. Santiago Amber Wood Plank Ceramic Tile:
Glazed Surface – 60-second reading
- Lead (Pb): 2,956 +/- 37 ppm (reading two: 2,886 ppm)
- Cadmium: non-detect
- Mercury: non-detect
- Bromine: non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 3,890 +/- 162 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 6,301 +/- 111 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 1,418 +/- 48 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 20 +/- 10 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 15,900 +/- 200 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 660 +/- 9 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 947 +/- 19 ppm
2. Dalhte Meadowood Pine Ceramic Tile:
Glazed Surface – 60-second reading
- Lead (Pb): 27 +/- 4 ppm (reading two: 32 ppm)
- Cadmium: non-detect
- Mercury: non-detect
- Bromine: non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 1,440 +/- 118 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 129 +/- 63 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 2,790 +/- 71 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 367 +/- 28 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 51 +/- 23 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 133 +/- 12 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 23,300 +/- 200 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 8,830 +/- 91 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 801 +/- 19 ppm
3. Wynwood Natural Wood Plank Porcelain Tile:
Glazed Surface – 60-second reading
- Lead (Pb): 45 +/- 4 ppm (reading two: 45 ppm)
- Cadmium: non-detect
- Mercury: non-detect
- Bromine: non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 870 +/- 109 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 2,776 +/- 71 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 418 +/- 29 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 70 +/- 11 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 16,400 +/- 200 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 3,870 +/- 40 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 228 +/- 14 ppm
4. Woodville Natural Wood Plank Ceramic Tile:
Glazed Surface – 60-second reading
- Lead (Pb): 217 +/- 8 ppm (reading two: 217 ppm)
- Cadmium: non-detect
- Mercury: non-detect
- Bromine: non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 1,285 +/- 119 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 2,286 +/- 66 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 249 +/- 26 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 142 +/- 13 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 13,800 +/- 1,000 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 6,831 +/- 69 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 481 +/- 16 ppm
All tests on each component are repeated multiple times (using a freshly calibrated XRF instrument) to confirm the levels of toxicants found. XRF test results are accurate, replicable and science-based.
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.
- Why home test kits don’t really work on most ceramic items (including most tile and dishes.)
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
Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links I may receive a percentage of what you spend – at no extra cost to you.
Thank you for this post Tamara! What do you recommend as far as safe lead free flooring? Vinyl wood look is becoming so common now and I really don’t want to live in a home with plastic fuming off in it. but I’m becoming terrified of ceramic tile and wood look of any kind now.
Ceramic tile is not generally going to present a lead hazard to the occupant of the home, it is primarily a hazard with demolition. I like solid wood floors (real wood, not laminates or veneers.) I also like poured concrete floors. I will not have any tile in my home when I build my “dream home” if that comes to pass. I also do not intend to have any paint or drywall as these are not durable products but instead are made to be damaged and repaired and replaced (or re-applied periodically – in the case of paint.)