Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region

Herein, we report on the determination of formaldehyde, pH, and heavy metals (Pb, As, Co, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in various baby apparel (cotton, polyester, nylon, elastane, and polyethylene) of different colours (light, medium, and dark) purchased from both high-end and low-end market stores. The concentr...

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Main Authors: P. Nyamukamba, C. Bantom, Z. Mququ, T. Ngcobo, S. Isaacs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Spectroscopy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5084062
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author P. Nyamukamba
C. Bantom
Z. Mququ
T. Ngcobo
S. Isaacs
author_facet P. Nyamukamba
C. Bantom
Z. Mququ
T. Ngcobo
S. Isaacs
author_sort P. Nyamukamba
collection DOAJ
description Herein, we report on the determination of formaldehyde, pH, and heavy metals (Pb, As, Co, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in various baby apparel (cotton, polyester, nylon, elastane, and polyethylene) of different colours (light, medium, and dark) purchased from both high-end and low-end market stores. The concentrations of the heavy metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) after wet digestion and also after extraction using artificial sweat for a selected range of skin-contact baby apparel. The relative standard deviation for the determination of all heavy metals was less than 5% except for nickel which was 10.49%. The concentrations of the heavy metals in wet digested samples were found to be in the following range: Pb (0.02–23.662 mg/kg), As (0.009–0.033 mg/kg), Co (0.001–1.053 mg/kg), Cr (0.053–6.373 mg/kg), Ni (0.039–36.715 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.914 mg/kg), whereas the concentrations in artificial sweat extracted samples were in the following range: Pb (0.006–1.658 mg/kg), As (not detected), Co (0.001–1.05 mg/kg), Cr (0.112–0.371 mg/kg), Ni (0.062–0.121 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.018 mg/kg). The highest concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Co after wet digestion were found in baby apparel purchased from low-end market stores, whereas for As, Ni, and Cd were from high-end market stores. All the samples had a formaldehyde concentration within the acceptable limits recommended by Oeko-Tex. Out of the thirty-four samples analysed, fifteen samples were found to have a pH higher than Oeko-Tex limits. The pH values for the samples that exceeded the Oeko-Tex limits were in the alkali region, and the highest was 11.31 which exceeded by 3.81.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2314-4920
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language English
publishDate 2020-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-31fe2e80a4fc4842b586903e625176652025-02-03T01:04:30ZengWileyJournal of Spectroscopy2314-49202314-49392020-01-01202010.1155/2020/50840625084062Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town RegionP. Nyamukamba0C. Bantom1Z. Mququ2T. Ngcobo3S. Isaacs4Technology Station: Clothing and Textiles, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaTechnology Station: Clothing and Textiles, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaTechnology Station: Clothing and Textiles, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaTechnology Station: Clothing and Textiles, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaTechnology Station: Clothing and Textiles, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaHerein, we report on the determination of formaldehyde, pH, and heavy metals (Pb, As, Co, Cr, Ni, and Cd) in various baby apparel (cotton, polyester, nylon, elastane, and polyethylene) of different colours (light, medium, and dark) purchased from both high-end and low-end market stores. The concentrations of the heavy metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) after wet digestion and also after extraction using artificial sweat for a selected range of skin-contact baby apparel. The relative standard deviation for the determination of all heavy metals was less than 5% except for nickel which was 10.49%. The concentrations of the heavy metals in wet digested samples were found to be in the following range: Pb (0.02–23.662 mg/kg), As (0.009–0.033 mg/kg), Co (0.001–1.053 mg/kg), Cr (0.053–6.373 mg/kg), Ni (0.039–36.715 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.914 mg/kg), whereas the concentrations in artificial sweat extracted samples were in the following range: Pb (0.006–1.658 mg/kg), As (not detected), Co (0.001–1.05 mg/kg), Cr (0.112–0.371 mg/kg), Ni (0.062–0.121 mg/kg), and Cd (0.001–0.018 mg/kg). The highest concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Co after wet digestion were found in baby apparel purchased from low-end market stores, whereas for As, Ni, and Cd were from high-end market stores. All the samples had a formaldehyde concentration within the acceptable limits recommended by Oeko-Tex. Out of the thirty-four samples analysed, fifteen samples were found to have a pH higher than Oeko-Tex limits. The pH values for the samples that exceeded the Oeko-Tex limits were in the alkali region, and the highest was 11.31 which exceeded by 3.81.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5084062
spellingShingle P. Nyamukamba
C. Bantom
Z. Mququ
T. Ngcobo
S. Isaacs
Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
Journal of Spectroscopy
title Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
title_full Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
title_fullStr Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
title_full_unstemmed Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
title_short Determination of the Levels of Heavy Metals and Formaldehyde in Baby Clothes in South Africa: A Case Study of Stores in the Greater Cape Town Region
title_sort determination of the levels of heavy metals and formaldehyde in baby clothes in south africa a case study of stores in the greater cape town region
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5084062
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