Release of Heavy Metals from Plastic Statuettes Used as Souvenirs and/or Toys Handled by Children

Pietro Pandolfi, Maria Pia Sammartino, Giovanni Visco, Pasquale Avino and Virgilio Stillittano
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Pietro Pandolfi: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, via Bardanzellu 8, I-00155 Rome, Italy
Maria Pia Sammartino: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, p.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
Giovanni Visco: Department of Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, p.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome, Italy
Pasquale Avino: Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences (DiAAA), University of Molise, via De Sanctis, I-86100 Campobasso, Italy
Virgilio Stillittano: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, via Appia Nuova 1411, I-00178 Roma, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Different plastic toys are on sale in the Italian market: they are sold as souvenirs and/or as toys. Such statuettes, called Gongoli, represent a famous character (a soccer player, a politician, the Pope, etc.). In particular, these products are widely sold, but the material composition is not sufficiently defined. Further, the effect of the release of dangerous compounds on human health is not sufficiently documented. Following this hypothesis, a study on eight different statuettes was carried out both for evaluating the possible presence of heavy metals and for evidencing their release from these objects. Preliminary analysis by means of EDS spectroscopy highlighted the percentage chemical composition of different products, especially the presence of total Cr and Ni. Release tests evidenced the release of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb: Pb reached 74 mg kg −1 , which is an interesting value even if it is lower than reported in the legislation. This study should be considered preliminary due to its limitations, such as the number of items investigated and the large variability found for some elements, but it highlights a serious problem related to the classification of these products which are marketed as souvenirs but manipulated by children.

Keywords: statuettes; heavy metals; leaching test; ICP-MS; cluster analysis; principal component analysis; human health; toxicity; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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