Leaching of lead from local ceramic tableware

Ceramic tableware has long since been recognised as a source of lead poisoning. Locally available ceramic utensils (cups, bowls, sauce plates, cooking pots and spoons) were examined as possible sources of lead poisoning. The lead was leached out with 4% acetic acid stored in the samples at room temperature for 24 h. Overall, 54.7% of the sample items tested exceeded the US PDA maximum permitted lead release from earthenware. Of the sauce plates 83.7% exceeded the safety limit and released the highest levels of lead. The amount of lead leached out from the samples decreased with repetitive teachings and increased with temperature. Lead is also found to be leached into acidic foods such as thin soya sauce, tomato sauce and tamarind juice stored in samples of ceramic sauce plates for 24 h at room temperature.