Why XRF Screening?
Why XRF (X-Ray Fluorescent) Screening?
This method of detecting lead and other harmful chemicals is capable of identifying levels of lead well below those called for by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act passed by the U.S. Congress in August 2008. XRF Screening uses extremely low levels of X-rays to nondestructively detect lead still commonly found in children’s products.
How Does XRF Work?
The portable XRF scanner emits incident X-rays that bombard the sample in question; hazardous elements such as lead then emanate multiple spectral lines, characteristic of their atomic number, which are interpreted and identified by the scanner. The location, whether on the surface or the substrate, can be also be determined by taking the ratio of two emission intensities. Scans as short as 10-15 seconds can provide definitive and qualitative results.
How Safe Is XRF?
In the hands of a trained technician XRF is very safe for home use. The amount of X-ray radiation released in a typical 10-second scan is the equivalent of one-20 thousandth of a standard chest X-ray. At a distance of 3 feet, the exposure is further reduced to 1/9th that amount. All Elemental Safety technicians have been trained to safely operate the XRF scanner in a business or home environment.
The Advantages of XRF:
XRF screening is nondestructive and more cost-effective than other testing methods. The home lead test kits found at many hardware stores generally cost between $5 and $8 and can typically test only 2 to 8 items per kit. In addition, test kits can only detect lead found on the surface of the item at a minimum level of 1,000 parts per million (ppm) which is more than 10 times the soon to be imposed 90 ppm legal limit called for in the CPSIA legislation. XRF can also detect more than just lead: antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, mercury, and selenium are other potentially toxic elements commonly found in toys and other household articles. These elements are currently controlled by Canadian legislation and by California's Prop65.
Laboratory testing is available, but the method of testing used is usually destructive to the sample. The cost-per-sample can be as high as $70 and multiple samples may be needed per item. This method is not practical for the home or retail outlet and is generally used by responsible toy manufacturers for CPSIA compliance testing.