Review on treatment and utilization of barium slag in China.

Barium slag (BS) is generated as a by-product waste during the production of barium salts from barite. A large amount of BS is discharged annually threating the ecological environment and restricting the development of the barium salts industry. In China, BS is classified as hazardous waste due to its corrosivity, and more importantly because of its extraction toxicity of barium. Soluble barium is toxic and can result in barium poisoning for environment and human beings. The current review presents a detailed summary on general characteristics, discharge and disposal status, harmless treatment pathways and comprehensive utilization of BS in China. BaO, SiO2, CaO, and SO3 occur as main chemical compositions in BS, especially BaO accounting approximately for 35-40%. The mineral compositions include unreacted barite, quartz, clay minerals, newly-formed phases from the side reactions such as BaCO3, BaSiO3 and BaSO3, and residual carbon. A special attention is given to the assessment of the harmless treatment methods for BS from hazardous waste to general waste, which will decrease its management costs. Precipitation and solidification of soluble barium is the common pathway for harmless treatment of BS, and the using of other industrial waste can realize cost-saving. Methods for comprehensive utilization of BS include recovery of barium and carbon, application in building materials, and using as adsorbents for wastewater treatment. In particular, we analyzed and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of these existing process routes, intending to promote potentials for comprehensive utilization of BS in the future.

Assessing gestational exposure to trace elements in an area of unconventional oil and gas activity: comparison with reference populations and evaluation of variability.

BACKGROUND: Located in Northeastern British Columbia, the Montney formation is an important area of unconventional oil and gas exploitation, which can release contaminants like trace elements. Gestational exposure to these contaminants may lead to deleterious developmental effects. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to (1) assess gestational exposure to trace elements in women living in this region through repeated urinary measurements; (2) compare urinary concentrations to those from North American reference populations; (3) compare urinary concentrations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants; and (4) evaluate inter- and intra-individual variability in urinary levels. METHODS: Eighty-five pregnant women participating in the Exposures in the Peace River Valley (EXPERIVA) study provided daily spot urine samples over 7 consecutive days. Samples were analyzed for 20 trace elements using inductively-coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and inter- and intra-individual variability in urinary levels was evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) calculation for each trace element. RESULTS: When compared with those from North American reference populations, median urinary levels were higher in our population for barium (~2 times), cobalt (~3 times) and strontium (~2 times). The 95th percentile of reference populations was exceeded at least 1 time by a substantial percentage of participants during the sampling week for barium (58%), cobalt (73%), copper (29%), manganese (28%), selenium (38%), strontium (60%) and vanadium (100%). We observed higher urinary manganese concentrations in self-identified Indigenous participants (median: 0.19 µg/g creatinine) compared to non-Indigenous participants (median: 0.15 µg/g of creatinine). ICCs varied from 0.288 to 0.722, indicating poor to moderate reliability depending on the trace element. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that pregnant women living in this region may be more exposed to certain trace elements (barium, cobalt, copper, manganese, selenium, strontium, and vanadium), and that one urine spot sample could be insufficient to adequately characterize participants' exposure to certain trace elements. IMPACT STATEMENT: Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) is an important industry in the Peace River Valley region (Northeastern British Columbia, Canada). Information on the impacts of this industry is limited, but recent literature emphasizes the risk of environmental contamination. The results presented in this paper highlight that pregnant women living near UOG wells in Northeastern British Columbia may be more exposed to some trace elements known to be related to this industry compared to reference populations. Furthermore, our results based on repeated urinary measurements show that one urine sample may be insufficient to adequately reflect long-term exposure to certain trace elements.

Particulate matter emissions associated with marcellus shale drilling waste disposal and transport.

This study models emissions quantities and neighboring exposure concentrations of six airborne pollutants, including PM10, PM2.5, crystalline silica, arsenic, uranium, and barium, which resulted from the disposal of Marcellus shale drill cuttings waste during the 2011-2017 period. Using these predicted exposures, this study evaluates current setback distances required in Pennsylvania from waste facilities. For potential residents living at the perimeter of the current setback distance, 274 m (900 ft), a waste disposal rate of 612.4 metric tons per day at landfills (the 99th percentile in record) does not result in exceedances of the exposure limits for any of the six investigated pollutants. However, the current setback distance can result in exceedance with respect to the 24-hr daily concentration standards for PM10 and PM2.5 established in the National Air Ambient Quality Standards (NAAQS), if daily waste disposal rate surpasses 900 metric tons per day. Dry depositions of barium-containing and uranium-containing particulate matter should not be a danger to public health based on these results. To investigate the air quality impacts of waste transportation and the potential for reductions, this article describes an optimization of landfill locations in Pennsylvania indicating the potential benefits in reduced environmental health hazard level possible by decreasing the distance traveled by waste disposal trucks. This strategy could reduce annual emissions of PM10 and PM2.5 by a mean of 64% and reduce the expected number of annual fatal accidents by nearly half, and should be considered a potential risk management goal in the long run. Therefore, policy to limit or encourage reduction of distances traveled by waste removal trucks and manage setback distances as a function of delivered waste quantities is merited. Implications This study shows the necessity of reviewing current setback distance required in Pennsylvania, which might not ensure 24-hr mean PM10 and PM2.5 levels below the values stated in National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the residents living at the perimeter. Furthermore, this study also reveals potential tremendous benefits from optimizing location of landfills accepting drill cuttings within Pennsylvania, with PM10 and PM2.5 emission, total distance traveled shrinking, and number of fatal accidents shrinking by nearly half.

Risk assessment of antimony, barium, beryllium, boron, bromine, lithium, nickel, strontium, thallium and uranium concentrations in the New Zealand diet.

Identifying and monitoring dietary toxicants is an important component of contemporary food safety systems. To characterise their potential dietary risks, analysis was undertaken of 10 elements: antimony, barium, beryllium, boron, bromine, lithium, nickel, strontium, thallium and uranium in 132 different food types. All 10 elements were reported as quantified in aportion of the analysed foods, with prevalence ranging from less than 1% for antimony to 98% for barium. Dietary exposure assessment was undertaken for 10 New Zealand population cohorts using apublished simulated diet, and proportionality of food groups to total exposure identified. Characterisation against health-based guidance values identified no dietary risk from exposures to beryllium, boron, bromine, lithium, strontium and uranium to any of the population cohorts. For antimony and thallium, the exposure range for infants was calculated to exceed the health-based guidance value, and for barium and nickel, all mean exposures were above the health-based guidance value for younger population cohorts. Although some conservatism in applying upper-bound mean exposures reduces the likelihood of asignificant dietary risk, further laboratory method development and analysis of these elements in the New Zealand diet would be beneficial to ensure protection of New Zealand public health.

Geochemical conditions conducive for retention of trace elements and radionuclides during shale-fluid interactions.

Produced water generated during unconventional oil and gas extractions contains a complex milieu of natural and anthropogenic potentially toxic chemical constituents including arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd), naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) including U and Ra, and a myriad of organic compounds. The human-ecological health risks and challenges associated with the disposal of produced water may be alleviated by understanding geochemical controls on processes responsible for the solubilization of potentially hazardous natural shale constituents to produced water. Here, we investigated, through a series of batch treatments, the leaching behavior of As, Se, Cu, Fe, Ba, Cr, Cd, and radioactive nuclides U, Ra from shale to produced water. Specifically, the effect of four major controls on element mobility was studied: (1) solution pH, (2) ionic strength of the solution, (3) oxic-anoxic conditions, and (4) an additive used in fracking fluid. The mobilization of metals and metalloids from shale was greatest in treatments containing sodium persulfate, an oxidant and a commonly used additive in fracture fluid. In the high ionic strength treatments, dissolved Ba concentrations increased 5-fold compared to low ionic strength treatments. Overall, anoxic conditions superimposed with low pH resulted in the largest increase of dissolved metals and radionuclides such as Ra. Overall, our results suggest that (1) limiting pore water acidification by injection of alkaline fluid in carbonate-low shale and (2) minimizing strong oxidizing conditions in shale formations may result in cost-effective in situ retention of produced water contaminants.

Spatial variability and solubility of barium in a petroleum well-drilling waste disposal area.

The petroleum industry generates a range of wastes which is often are disposed in soil close to the well location, negatively affecting soil and water quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the solubility and map the spatial variability of barium in a potentially contaminated area. The study area consisted of a petroleum well-drilling waste disposal site located in the municipality of Mato Rico-PR. A large georeferenced sampling grid was organized. Soil samples were collected at depths of 30, 60, 90, and 120 cm for determination of the "pseudo-total" concentrations and geochemical fractionation of barium. The barium concentrations showed spatial dependence, which permitted the use of geostatistical interpolators. Regarding depth, the depth of 0-30 cm showed the largest contaminated area; however, higher concentrations of barium were found at the depth of 60-90 cm. The results of geochemical fractionation showed that the analyzed samples contained percentages higher than 99% in the non-labile fraction (residual). These results indicate clearly that the barium was in a condition of low solubility, even for samples that had the highest concentrations, presenting low-environmental risk.

Effect of brine salinity and guar gum on the transport of barium through dolomite rocks: Implications for unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal.

This research aimed to elucidate the effect of brine salinity and guar gum on the sorption and transport of Ba in dolomite rocks collected from the Arbuckle formation in Oklahoma, USA. Guar gum represents the most important organic additive used in viscosified fracturing fluids, and Ba constitutes the most common and abundant heavy metal found in unconventional oil and gas (UOG) wastewater. Batch experiments conducted using powdered dolomite rocks (500-600 µm particle size) revealed that at brine salinities of UOG wastewater, chloro-complexation reactions between Ba and Cl ions and pH changes that results from dolomite dissolution are the controlling factors of Ba sorption on dolomite. Competition of Ba with common cations (Ca and Mg) for hydration sites of dolomite, plays a secondary role. Core-flooding experiments conducted to analyze the transport of Ba through natural and synthetic dolomite core plugs are in agreement with the batch sorption experimental results. The transport of Ba through dolomite rocks, increases with increasing brine salinity (0-180,000 mg-NaCl/L). The presence guar gum (50-500 mg/L) does not affect the transport of Ba through dolomite rocks of high flow properties (25-29.6% porosity, 9.6-13.7 mD permeability). However, core-flooding experiments conducted using tight dolomite rocks (6.5-8.6% porosity, 0.06-0.3 mD permeability), revealed that guar gum can retard the transport of Ba by clogging high permeability/porosity regions of tight dolomite rocks. The mechanism of Ba sorption on dolomite can be represented by a sorption model that accounts for both surface complexation reactions on three distinct hydration sites (>CaOHo, >MgOHo, and >CO3Ho), and the kinetic dissolution of dolomite. These results are important in understanding and predicting the fate of Ba present in UOG wastewater disposed into deep dolomite saline aquifers.

Regional Distribution of Longevity Population and Elements in Drinking Water in Jiangjin District, Chongqing City, China.

In order to determine the spatial variation of longevity population and elements contained in the drinking water of longevity region in Jiangjin and investigate the relationship between the elements in drinking water and longevity, population censuses on township level and 98 drinking water samples from Jiangjin District, Chongqing City in West China were collected and analyzed. Population statistics on township level showed that the number of centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants (OC), centenarity index (CI), and number of centenarians per 10,000 over 65-year-old subjects (UC) present obvious geographic distribution properties, generally Central region > Northern region > Southern region (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05). Moderate hard water (150 mg/L < total hardness (TH) = 156.17 mg/L < 300 mg/L) was mainly found in drinking water from longevity township (OC > 7.5) in Jiangjin District, whereas soft water (75 mg/L < TH = 111.23 mg/L < 150 mg/L) was mostly in non-longevity township (OC < 7.5). The mean concentration of strontium (Sr) (0.73 mg/L) in drinking water from the longevity township was apparently higher than that of non-longevity township (0.44 mg/L) (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.019 < 0.05). The concentrations of Ba, Li, Mn, Ni, and Se in drinking water from longevity township were also higher than those of non-longevity township (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05). The research indicates that exercising strict control over the concentrations of TH, Sr, Ba, Li, Mn, Ni, and Se in drinking water might be good for the health and prolong people's life.

Confirming the Environmental Concerns of Community Members Utilizing Participatory-Based Research in the Houston Neighborhood of Manchester.

In the last few decades, there has been an increase in community-based participatory research being conducted within the United States. Recent research has demonstrated that working with local community organizations, interest groups, and individuals can assist in the creation of, and sustainability in, health initiatives, adoption of emergency protocols, and potentially improve health outcomes for at-risk populations. However little research has assessed if communal concerns over environmental contaminants would be confirmed through environmental research. This cross-sectional study collected survey data and performed surface water analysis for heavy metals in a small neighborhood in Houston, TX, which is characterized by industrial sites, unimproved infrastructure, nuisance flooding, and poor air quality. Surveys were completed with 109 residents of the Manchester neighborhood. Water samples were taken from thirty zones within the neighborhood and assessed for arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), and mercury (Hg). Survey results showed that the vast majority of all respondents were concerned over proximity to industry and waste facilities, as well as exposure to standing surface water. Barium was discovered in every sample and many of the zones showed alarming levels of certain metals. For example, one zone, two blocks from a public park, showed levels of arsenic at 180 (µg/L), barium at 3296 (µg/L), chromium at 363 (µg/L), lead at 1448 (µg/L), and mercury at 10 (µg/L). These findings support the hypothesis that neighborhood members are aware of the issues affecting their community and can offer researchers valuable assistance in every stage of study design and execution.

Harvest locations of goose barnacles can be successfully discriminated using trace elemental signatures.

European Union regulations state that consumers must be rightfully informed about the provenance of fishery products to prevent fraudulent practices. However, mislabeling of the geographical origin is a common practice. It is therefore paramount to develop forensic methods that allow all players involved in the supply chain to accurately trace the origin of seafood. In this study, trace elemental signatures (TES) of the goose barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes, collected from ten sites along the Portuguese coast, were employed to discriminate individual's origin. Barium (Ba), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorous (P), lead (Pb), strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn) - were quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Significant differences were recorded among locations for all elements. A regularized discriminant analysis (RDA) revealed that 83% of all individuals were correctly assigned. This study shows TES can be a reliable tool to confirm the geographic origin of goose barnacles at fine spatial resolution. Although additional studies are required to ascertain the reliability of TES on cooked specimens and the temporal stability of the signature, the approach holds great promise for the management of goose barnacles fisheries, enforcement of conservation policies and assurance in accurate labeling.

Simplified multi-element analysis of ground and instant coffees by ICP-OES and FAAS.

A simplified alternative to the wet digestion sample preparation procedure for roasted ground and instant coffees has been developed and validated for the determination of different elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) (Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na). The proposed procedure, i.e. the ultrasound-assisted solubilisation in aqua regia, is quite fast and simple, requires minimal use of reagents, and demonstrated good analytical performance, i.e. accuracy from -4.7% to 1.9%, precision within 0.5-8.6% and recovery in the range 93.5-103%. Detection limits of elements were from 0.086 ng ml(-1) (Sr) to 40 ng ml(-1) (Fe). A preliminary classification of 18 samples of ground and instant coffees was successfully made based on concentrations of selected elements and using principal component analysis and hierarchic cluster analysis.

Recycling of ladle slag in cement composites: Environmental impacts.

In the present work compact and ground cement composites in which 30% of cement by mass was replaced by ladle slag were investigated for their chemical and physico-mechanical properties. To evaluate long-term environmental impacts, leachability test based on diffusion, which combined both, diffusion and dissolution of contaminants, was performed in water and saline water. Total element concentrations and Cr(VI) were determined in leachates over a time period of 180days. At the end of the experiment, the mineralogical composition and the physico-mechanical stability of cement composites was also assessed. The results revealed that Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were immobilized by the hydration products formed in the cement composites with the addition of ladle slag. Cr(VI) content originating from the cement was also appreciably reduced by Fe(II) from minerals present in the added ladle slag, which thus had significant positive environmental effects. Among metals, only Mo and Ba were leached in elevated concentrations, but solely in ground cement composites with the addition of ladle slag. Lower V concentrations were observed in leachates of ground than compact composite. It was demonstrated that the presence of ladle slag in cement composites can even contribute to improved mortar resistance. The investigated ladle slag can be successfully implemented in cement composites as supplementary cementitious material.

The origin and determination of silica types in the silica occurrences from Altintas region (Usak-Western Anatolia) using multianalytical techniques.

The studied area is located in Western Anatolia and situated on the NE-SW directed Usak-Güre cross-graben that developed under a crustal extensional regime during the Late Miocene-Pliocene. Silica occurrences have been mostly found as mushroom-shaped big caps. They also show sedimentary structures such as stratification. Silica occurrences are milky white, yellowish white, yellow to chocolate brown and rarely pale blue, bluish gray in color and have no crystal forms in hand specimen. Some of the silica samples show conchoidal fracture. Silica minerals are mostly chalcedony, low-quartz (α-quartz) and sporadically opal-CT in spectras, according to confocal Raman spectrometry. The silica samples have enrichment of Fe (1000-24,600 ppm), Ca (100-10,200 ppm), P (4-3950 ppm) and Mn (8-3020 ppm). Other striking elements in fewer amounts are Ba (0.9-609.6 ppm), Ni (15.7-182.3 ppm) and Co (18.6-343.1 ppm). In chondrite-normalized spider diagram, silica samples display partial enrichment in LIL elements (Rb, Ba, Th). The δ(18)O (‰ V-SMOW) values for silica samples vary from 18.4‰ to 22.8‰ and are similar to low temperature hydrothermal silica. Confocal Raman spectrometry and oxygen isotope indicate that the silica minerals may precipitate from host fluid which is relatively has low temperatures hydrothermal solutions derived from the residual melt of basaltic magma.

Barium determination in gastric contents, blood and urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the case of oral barium chloride poisoning.

A serious case of barium intoxication from suicidal ingestion is reported. Oral barium chloride poisoning with hypokalemia, neuromuscular and cardiac toxicity, treated with intravenous potassium supplementation and hemodialysis, was confirmed by the determination of barium concentrations in gastric contents, blood, serum and urine using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method. Barium concentrations in the analyzed specimens were 20.45 µg/L in serum, 150 µg/L in blood, 10,500 µg/L in urine and 63,500 µg/L in gastric contents. Results were compared with barium levels obtained from a non-intoxicated person.

Dietary exposure and health risk assessment for 14 toxic and essential trace elements in Yaoundé: the Cameroonian total diet study.

Dietary exposure to trace elements (aluminium, antimony, barium, cadmium, lead, nickel, vanadium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, germanium, lithium, strontium and tellurium) was assessed by the total diet study (TDS) method. Sixty-four pooled samples representing 96.5% of the diet in Yaoundé, Cameroon, were prepared "as consumed" before analysis. Consumption data were sourced from a households' budget survey. Dietary exposures were compared with health-based guidance or nutritional values and to worldwide TDS results. The health-based guidance value was exceeded by ≤ 0.2% of the study population for aluminium, antimony, barium, cadmium, nickel and vanadium. For lead, the observed 95th percentile of exposure (3.05 µg kg(-1) body weight day(-1)) equals the critical value considered by JECFA for cardiovascular effects; therefore, risk to health cannot be excluded for certain consumer groups. The population at risk of excess intake for manganese, copper, molybdenum and nickel was considered to be low (≤ 0.3%). The prevalence of inadequate intake was estimated at 5.9% for copper and was nil for molybdenum. Due to the lack of toxicological and/or nutritional consistent data to perform a risk assessment, dietary exposures to germanium, lithium, strontium and tellurium were provided as supplementary data. The food groups highest contributors to exposure were "tubers and starches" for aluminium (27%), lead (39%) and copper (26%), "cereals and cereal products" for cadmium (54%) and manganese (35%), "fruits, vegetables and oilseeds" for barium (34%), molybdenum (49%) and nickel (31%), "beverages" for antimony (27%) and "fish" for vanadium (43% - lower bound). Measures should be recommended to maintain low levels of exposure before the problem could become an important health or trade issue.

Development of a powerful approach for classification of surface waters by geochemical signature.

Easy identification of chemical signatures characteristic of water systems has become a major issue in the field of environmental protection and management. We propose an exploratory method, exclusively based on the statistical analysis of river water composition, capable of characterizing river waters in a given watershed through their chemical composition, as well as of detecting modifications, even when not related to pollution sources. Although the method is based on well-known statistic techniques (Principal Component Analysis and Linear Discriminant Analysis), and therefore is very simple and straightforward to apply, it goes far beyond the common data reduction use of these techniques. Its capabilities are illustrated through its application to rivers in Canton Geneva, Switzerland, a hydrographical network consisting of 310 km of waterways with 250 streams and rivers. The procedure results in a very satisfactory classification of watersheds, in our case by using only two geochemical indicators: U and Ba concentrations. The method also makes it possible to follow the seasonal evolution of river regimes or the effect of wetlands on river water composition.

Barium distributions in teeth reveal early-life dietary transitions in primates.

Early-life dietary transitions reflect fundamental aspects of primate evolution and are important determinants of health in contemporary human populations. Weaning is critical to developmental and reproductive rates; early weaning can have detrimental health effects but enables shorter inter-birth intervals, which influences population growth. Uncovering early-life dietary history in fossils is hampered by the absence of prospectively validated biomarkers that are not modified during fossilization. Here we show that large dietary shifts in early life manifest as compositional variations in dental tissues. Teeth from human children and captive macaques, with prospectively recorded diet histories, demonstrate that barium (Ba) distributions accurately reflect dietary transitions from the introduction of mother's milk through the weaning process. We also document dietary transitions in a Middle Palaeolithic juvenile Neanderthal, which shows a pattern of exclusive breastfeeding for seven months, followed by seven months of supplementation. After this point, Ba levels in enamel returned to baseline prenatal levels, indicating an abrupt cessation of breastfeeding at 1.2 years of age. Integration of Ba spatial distributions and histological mapping of tooth formation enables novel studies of the evolution of human life history, dietary ontogeny in wild primates, and human health investigations through accurate reconstructions of breastfeeding history.

[Determination of barium in natural curative waters by ICP-OES technique. Part I. Waters taken on the area of health resorts in Poland]. / Oznaczanie baru w naturalnych wodach leczniczych technika ICP-OES. Czesc I. Wody ujmowane na terenach uzdrowisk w Polsce.

Maximum admissible concentration level (MACL) of barium in natural mineral waters, natural spring waters and potable waters was set at the level of 1 mg/l, while MACL of this element in natural curative waters intended for drinking therapies and inhalations were set at the levels of 1.0 mg/l and 10.0 mg/l, respectively. Those requirements were related to therapies which are applied longer than one month. Above mentioned maximum admissible concentration levels of barium in consumed waters were established after taking into account actual criteria of World Health Organization which determined the guidelines value for this element in water intended for human consumption at the level of 0.7 mg/l. In this work developed and validated method of determination of barium by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry technique was applied for determination of this element in 45 natural curative waters sampled from 24 spa districts situated on the area of Poland. Concentrations of barium determined were in the range from 0.0036 mg/l to 24.0 mg/l. Natural curative waters characterized by concentrations of barium in the ranges of 0.0036 - 0.073 mg/l, 0.0036 - 1.31 mg/l and 0.0036 - 24.0 mg/l, were applied to drinking therapy, inhalations and balneotherapy, respectively (some of waters analyzed were simultaneously applied to drinking therapy, inhalations and balneotherapy). In the cases of 11 natural curative waters exceeding limit of 1 mg/l were observed, however they were classified mainly as waters applied to balneotherapy and in two cases to inhalation therapies (concentrations of barium - 1.08 mg/l and 1.31 mg/l). The procedure of classification of curative waters for adequate therapies based among other things on barium concentrations meets requirements of the Decree of Minister of Health from 13 April 2006 on the range of studies indispensable for establishing medicinal properties of natural curative materials and curative properties of climate, criteria of their assessment and a specimen of certificate confirmed those properties.

[Migration of eight harmful elements from household products made with synthetic resin that infants may swallow by mistake].

Harmful elements are used as stabilizers and colorants in synthetic resin products. Accidental ingestion of harmful elements from such synthetic resins by infants is a dangerous health hazard. The Japanese Food Sanitation Law and the International Standard ISO 8124-3 "Safety of toys-Part 3: Migration of certain elements" control the levels of migrated harmful elements, such as lead or cadmium, from infants toys. However, the levels of migrated harmful elements from household products that are not infants toys are not controlled, since they are not covered by the law or standard. Therefore, we investigated the level of eight harmful elements (antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and selenium) migrated from household products made of synthetic resin that infants may swallow by mistake. The extraction test of ISO 8124-3: 2010 was executed in 135 products (total 150 specimens), and the concentration of these elements was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). As a result, 1810 mg/kg and 1660 mg/kg of lead, exceeding the maximum acceptable level of the ISO standard, migrated from two products. In addition, lead and/or chromium at levels more than 1/10 of the maximum acceptable levels of the ISO standard migrated from four products. Household products that infants may swallow by mistake should ideally not release harmful elements such as lead and chromium.