Jewellery: alloy composition and release of nickel, cobalt and lead assessed with the EU synthetic sweat method

TY - JOUR

T1 - Jewellery

T2 - alloy composition and release of nickel, cobalt and lead assessed with the EU synthetic sweat method

AU - Hamann, Dathan

AU - Thyssen, Jacob P

AU - Hamann, Carsten R

AU - Hamann, Curtis

AU - Menné, Torkil

AU - Johansen, Jeanne D

AU - Spiewak, Radoslaw

AU - Maibach, Howard

AU - Lundgren, Lennart

AU - Lidén, Carola

N1 - © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2015/10/1

Y1 - 2015/10/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown nickel and cobalt release from jewellery by using spot tests, but the metal composition of jewellery is largely unknown.OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the metal composition of a large worldwide sample of mainly inexpensive jewellery items, and investigate the release of nickel, cobalt and lead from a subsample by using EN 1811:1998-required methods.METHODS: A total of 956 metallic jewellery components were examined with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. A subsample of 96 jewellery items purchased in the United States were investigated for nickel, cobalt and lead release by the use of artificial sweat immersion and plasma optical emission spectroscopy.RESULTS: Eighteen elements were detected. The 10 most frequently occurring were, in order of frequency, copper, iron, zinc, nickel, silver, chromium, tin, manganese, lead, and cobalt. Release of nickel was noted from 79 of the 96 US samples (0.01-98 µg/cm(2) /week), release of cobalt from 35 samples (0.02-0.5 µg/cm(2) /week), and release of lead from 37 samples (0.03-2718 µg/cm(2) /week).CONCLUSIONS: We present here a comprehensive list of the most frequently encountered metals in jewellery and fashion accessories. Different allergenic and non-allergenic metals are utilized. We also report the frequent release of nickel, cobalt and lead from these objects, despite legislative restrictions.

AB - BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown nickel and cobalt release from jewellery by using spot tests, but the metal composition of jewellery is largely unknown.OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the metal composition of a large worldwide sample of mainly inexpensive jewellery items, and investigate the release of nickel, cobalt and lead from a subsample by using EN 1811:1998-required methods.METHODS: A total of 956 metallic jewellery components were examined with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. A subsample of 96 jewellery items purchased in the United States were investigated for nickel, cobalt and lead release by the use of artificial sweat immersion and plasma optical emission spectroscopy.RESULTS: Eighteen elements were detected. The 10 most frequently occurring were, in order of frequency, copper, iron, zinc, nickel, silver, chromium, tin, manganese, lead, and cobalt. Release of nickel was noted from 79 of the 96 US samples (0.01-98 µg/cm(2) /week), release of cobalt from 35 samples (0.02-0.5 µg/cm(2) /week), and release of lead from 37 samples (0.03-2718 µg/cm(2) /week).CONCLUSIONS: We present here a comprehensive list of the most frequently encountered metals in jewellery and fashion accessories. Different allergenic and non-allergenic metals are utilized. We also report the frequent release of nickel, cobalt and lead from these objects, despite legislative restrictions.

U2 - 10.1111/cod.12434

DO - 10.1111/cod.12434

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26230312

SN - 0105-1873

VL - 73

SP - 231

EP - 238

JO - Contact Dermatitis

JF - Contact Dermatitis

IS - 4

ER -