Mateusz Karwowski and colleagues, with US Geological Survey geochemists, report a 9-month-old infant born in the United States whose blood lead was 13 to 18 µg/dL (the abstract prints mcg/dL) against a reference level below 5. The source was a non-commercial diaper powder from Malaysia. Four weeks after use stopped, venous blood lead was 8 µg/dL.
Only the abstract was obtained, from the USGS Publications Warehouse record. All figures below are abstract figures.
Key numbers
| Matrix | Analyte | Value as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Folk diaper powder | Lead | 62% by weight, primarily lead oxide |
| Folk diaper powder | Antimony | 1000 ppm |
| Folk diaper powder | Arsenic (species not stated) | 55 ppm |
| Folk diaper powder | Bismuth | 110 ppm |
| Folk diaper powder | Thallium | 31 ppm |
| Infant venous blood, during use | Lead | 13-18 mcg/dL |
| Infant venous blood, four weeks after stopping | Lead | 8 mcg/dL |
62% lead by weight is 620,000 mg/kg. The abstract states the metals were highly bioaccessible in simulated gastric fluid and only slightly bioaccessible in simulated lung fluid and simulated urine. The authors conclude that the main exposure routes were ingestion by hand-to-mouth transfer and ingestion of inhaled dust cleared from the airways.
Methods (brief)
Not available from the abstract. The USGS record lists the Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center as the analysing organisation.
Evidence fitness
The abstract documents an extreme lead content in one non-commercial folk diaper powder and the associated infant blood lead. It is a single case. It does not describe commercial baby powders or talc. The product sits outside every product row in the current taxonomy and is routed to the children’s personal care hub.
Limitations
Abstract only. No method, detection limit, or replicate information. Arsenic is reported without species. The corresponding author is not printed on the record.
Related evidence
Update history
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