Presence of lead in paint of toys sold in stores of the formal market of Bogotá, Colombia

• Study conducted to determine lead content in paint of toys from the formal market.
• A sample of 96 toys purchased from 24 stores in Bogotá (Colombia) was analyzed.
• Lead content ranged from below the method detection limit (5 ppm) to 47,600 ppm.
• Eight out of 116 samples of paint exceeded the current US lead regulatory limit.
• Brown paint and toys from Colombia were significantly associated with lead content.

Lead (Pb) is a non-essential metal. Exposure to lead has been associated with adverse health effects in both children and adults. Lead content in paint used in toys or children's products has been identified as both a potential and preventable source of childhood lead exposure. Twenty-four stores located in Bogotá (Colombia) were selected by cluster sampling to participate in the study. A random sample of 96 toys was purchased at these stores. Since one toy can have different paint colors, a total of 116 paint samples from 96 toys were analyzed for lead content. Paint samples were prepared by microwave digestion and lead was quantified using ICP-OES. For quality control purposes of the analytical method, spike samples and a certified reference material (NIST SRM 2582) were used. The lead content in paint ranged from below the method detection limit (5 ppm) to 47,600 ppm, with an average Pb concentration of 1024 ppm and a median concentration of 5 ppm. Eight (8) paint samples removed from five toys had lead concentrations exceeding the US regulatory limit for total lead content (90 ppm). Brown paint and toys manufactured in Colombia were significantly associated with high concentrations of lead in paint. Furthermore, a statistically significant interaction between these two variables was also found. The results suggest that there is a potential risk of lead exposure from paint of toys sold in the formal market of Bogotá. Therefore, the implementation of a national surveillance program of lead content in children products is urgently needed. The risk of children's lead exposure identified in this study, which is completely preventable, could be present also in other developing countries.