In order to assure compliance with US law, the total amount of lead in the product finish must be ascertained. However, there are other test specifications and procedures too. In order to determine the total lead content, leather samples are first converted to ash, and then a test sample is prepared according to:
• NIOSH Method 7082, Lead by Flame AAS. NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) is a US government department that specializes in developing official test methods for hazardous substances in the environment.
• ASTM E1645-01 (2007); Standard Practice for Preparation of Dried Paint Samples by Hotplate or Microwave Digestion for Subsequent Analysis. This procedure was evolved from two NIOSH methods (7082, referenced above, and 7105), and an EPA stanadard operating procedure for lead in paint. This is the procedure that we now use.
The prepared sample is analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) using certified lead standards. This procedure determines the TOTAL concentration of lead in the leather. The Leather Research Laboratory offers the “insurance policy” of a reliable and authoritative testing program designed to cover both the total lead content analysis as required by US law, and the migration testing preferred in some other geographical regions.