| The
Professional Lead Test Kit
 Ingesting
lead paint and breathing in lead dust is the #1 contributor
to lead poisoning, which causes brain damage and affects
over 200,000 children each year
Offers the option of testing
either suspect of lead paint or lead dust to EPA and HUD
approved methods.
Meets EPA Title X requirements for real estate transactions.
Simple to use test utilizes atomic absorption spectrometer
via graphite furnace.
Offers EPA Profeciency results within 2 weeks.
Lab fee and pre-paid postage envelope included.
More than 200,000 children
in the United States contract lead poisoning every year.
Lead poisoning limits a child’s ability to learn,
even after a short term exposure. It is estimated that a
child’s I.Q. drops 3 points for every 10 micrograms
per decileter of lead in their blood. If the child receives
prompt medical attention, chances for recovery are very
good. However, if the exposure goes undetected, it can bring
about permanent damage, causing anything from learning disabilities
to severe mental retardation and even death. Children under
the age of 7 are much more susceptible to lead poisoining
because their developing bodies absorb the lead at 4 times
the rate of an adult.
Compounding this medical danger
is the fact that one of the most common places for children
to become exposed to lead is in the home. The major sources
of in-home contamination are lead-based paints, tap water,
colorful ceramic dishes, soiland airborne lead particles.
Because you can’t see, taste or smell lead, everyone
is potentially at risk. This brochure was developed by PRO-LAB
Inc. to provide you with a primary knowledge about the risk
of lead contamination. The people at PRO-LAB encourage you
to thoroughly educate yourself on in-home environmental
dangers and learn how to protect yourself and your family.
Have Your Child Tested
Health officials recommend
that children receive a blood test for lead contamination
by the age of one and continue testing every couple of years.
However, if you suspect that your home may be contaminated
with lead, have the child tested at six months old. It is
estimated that as many as 1 in 4 children under the age
of 7 have lead in their blood. Contact your local health
department for the location of medical attention and testing
facilities. Water Contamination
Lead contamination from tap
water occurs because of the presence of lead-containing
materials in the plumbing system. Lead contaminated tap
water may pose a serious health threat. According to the
U.S. EPA approximately 20% of public water systems, serving
32 million people, were found to have lead levels exceeding
the EPA's safety standard of 15 ppb (parts per billion).
Risk Indicators
According to the EPA, the ultimate
responsibility for safe drinking water rests with the end
user. The water you drink may contain lead, which can cause
adverse health effects, even at short–term exposure.
Young children and pregnant women are at the greatest risk.
Your home is at high risk of
lead contaminated water if it has:
- lead pipes and/or lead
connectors from the water main
- copper pipes with lead
solder
- soft water (a water softener
can contribute to the corrosiveness of the water and if
used, should not be connected to pipes leading to drinking
water taps)
- water remaining in pipes
that contact lead for several hours (the longer water
has been sitting in your home's pipes, the more lead it
may contain).
- The age of your home is
a major contributing factor. Older homes with plumbing
installed prior to 1930, are likely to have lead pipes.
In addition, plumbing with copper pipes installed before
1988, may contain lead solder. Today, lead pipes and materials
are prohibited from being used in plumbing that leads
to drinking water taps.
Protection From Water
Contamination
There are several “rules
of thumb” that should be used in protecting your family
from lead contaminated tap water.
Preventive Steps
- Flush your pipes before
use. Prior to using water for cooking or drinking, run
the tap water until it becomes as cold as it will get.
Save the flushing water for cleaning, watering plants,
washing dishes.
- Use only cold water for
drinking & cooking -- hot water is likely to contain
higher levels of lead.
- Inspect your plumbing system
to detect lead. Lead pipes and solder are dull gray, when
scratched they will look shiny.
- Test your water with a
lead detection product, such as PRO-LAB's Lead in Water
Test Kit, that utilizes U.S. EPA recognized laboratories
If your lead test comes back positive, the best way to
handle the problem is to determine the source and remove
it.
Lead Paint Contamination
Lead-based paint is a notorious
culprit. Many homes/apartments built before 1960 have heavily
leaded paint and homes/apartments built prior to 1978 may
also contain paint with dangerously high levels of lead.
Lead based paint can be on walls, ceilings, woodwork, windows,
furniture (cribs), children’s toys and even floors.
As it peels, paint chips are loosened and can be ingested
by children. Another contamination source from lead is lead
dust particles. Painted surface friction points, such as
window frames and sills, create paint dust. Household renovation
activities can also create high levels of paint dust. When
a lead–based paint surface is broken, sanded or scraped,
it breaks into tiny, sometimes invisible, pieces that children
can swallow or inhale.
Ceramic dishes and mugs are
another area of concern. Some ceramic dishware, especially
those imported from foreign countries, may contain lead
contaminated glaze. The lead can leach into food or liquids,
particularly acidic foods. Foods stored or cooked in these
containers are at higher risk of contamination.
Reduce the Risk of
Contamination
The initial step in preventing
lead poisoning is determining whether or not your house
and household items contain lead. All suspected surfaces
and dishware should be tested. Home test kits, such as PRO-LAB’s
Professional Lead Surface Test Kit and Professional Test
Kit for Paint & Dust provide a simple, accurate and
easy first line of defense against lead contamination. Professional
Lead Surface Test Kit and Professional Test Kit for Paint
& Dust is the only safe, non-toxic lead test kit available.
All surfaces including walls, windows, ceilings, floors
and ceramics should be tested.
Good housecleaning is another
important element. Keep all of your children’s play
areas as dust–free as possible. Frequently wash floors
and windows with phosphate–rich cleansers, such as
automatic dish washing detergents. Keep all toys clean by
washing them often.
If you discover the presence
of lead–based paint in your house, do not attempt
to remove it yourself. Contact your local health department
and seek help from a professional who has special training
in lead paint removal or encapsulation.
PRO-LAB’s Home
Test Kit Solution
Mostly all home health hazards
are preventable. But only if you know that a problem exists.
That’s why PRO–LAB offers state-of–the–art
home safety lead detection kits. An EPA certified lead in–water
test kit and a lead in paint test kit are available at your
local retail stores.
The Professional Lead Surface
Test Kit contains 2 chemically impregnated non–toxic
paper strips which, when activated with a few drops of water,
will detect lead on any surface instantly to as little as
5 ppm. When placed on a lead contaminated surface and activated
with a few drops of water, the white test pad strips will
turn a bright “red” if a problem exists.
To
purchase the Lead Test Kit for only $18.95,
click
here. |
