Sashas International Inc. 333 Arthur Godfrey Rd., Ste. # 322 Miami Beach, FL 33140 Tel: 800.757.

8141 Fax: 305.695.8991 sashas@sashas.net www.sashas.net

SodiumSulfideInstantlyRevealsLeadonSurfaces
Asimpleprocedure,TheSodiumSulfideTest,allowsvisual detectionofleadonskin&othersurfaces.Theprocedureiseffectiveasa trainingaidtoreinforcetheimportanceofpersonalhygienetoworkersin anyenvironmentwhereleadisprocessed.Itisalsoeffectiveincomparing theabilityofsoapsandcleanerstoremovelead. Leadisabsorbedintothebodytwoways,throughinhalationofsmall dustparticlesandingestionthroughthemouthbycontactwithleadduston hands,skin,gloves,clothing,toolsandfood. TherequirementsforleadusersaredetailedintheOSHALead Standard1910.1025andAppendixesB,C&D.Certainprecautionshelp preventleadfrombecomingahealthhazardandmaintainacleanwork environment,includinghygienefacilitiesandpractices,engineeringand workpracticecontrols,respiratoryprotection,protectiveworkclothingand equipment,complianceprograms,mechanicalventilationandhousekeeping. Thestandardstressesthatfood,beverageortobaccoproductsare forbiddeninareaswhereemployeesareexposedtolead.Changerooms andshowerfacilitiesmustbeprovidedandused.Employeesmustwash theirhandsandfacespriortoeating,drinking,smokingorapplying cosmetics.Goodpersonalhygienehabitsarecrucialtominimizecontact exposuretolead. Whiletheleadstandardrecognizesthepotentialforingestion,itonly definespermissiblelevelsofleadinairandinblood.Variablesotherthan leadinairmanyaccountforchangesinbloodleadlevels,andlead contaminationoccurswithworkersinlowandnoleadareas. ManyleadprocessorsusetheSodiumSulfideTesttohelpteachplant workersandotherpersonnelincludingcontractorsandevenoffice personnelgoodpersonalhygieneandencouragethemtocleanproperly beforebreaksandbeforeleavingtheplantfortheday.Individualsmay unknowinglycarryleadawayfromtheplantintotheircarsandhomes, whereothers,includingchildren,maybeexposed. Thesodiumsulfidetestisaqualitativetestthatrevealsthepresenceof inorganicleadonskinandothersurfaces.Sodiumsulfide(Na2S)reactswith inorganicleadtoformadarkbrownorblackleadsulfide.Althoughitdoes notquantitativelymeasuretheleadcontamination,itgivesinstantresults foravisualcomparisonoftheamountofleadonanysurfaces. Thematerialsneededtoperformthetestare: *Cottonballsorotherwipe *Distilledwater *Spraybottleof1/2%sodiumsulfide(useAnalyticalGradeNa2S)solutionin water(2.55gramsofreagentgradesodiumsulfidedissolvedin4oz.(110 ml.)ofdistilledwater). *Latexgloves(ifdesired) *HydrogenPeroxide,1/2% Twomethodsarecommonlyusedtoperformtheprocedure.Bothshouldbe performedinaventilatedarea. 1.)Applythesodiumsulfidesolutiondirectlytothehands,forearms andunderthefingernails.Ifanyleadispresent,abrowntoblackcolorwill appearinstantly.Themoreintensethecolor,themoreleadispresent.This methodisabetterindicatoroftheexactlocationofleadonanindividuals skinandtocheckunderthefingernails. Notethattheleadsulfidestaincanbedifficulttoremove.Washing withvinegar(4%aceticacid),hydrogenperoxideorsomeleadspecificsoaps willremovethestain.Hydrogenperoxidealsoneutralizesthesmell. 2.)Useawipe(cottonball,paperorgauze)soakedinvinegartoclean thetestsurface.Thevinegaronthewipewilldissolvemostofthelead present.Thenspraysodiumsulfidesolutiondirectlyontothewipeandnote theextentofthecolorchange.Thismethodcantestbothskinandother surfacesandisthepreferredmethodifindividualsobjecttohavingthe solutionsprayeddirectlyontheirskin. Disposeofwipesfrompositivetestsasleadcontaminatedwaste,in accordancewithplantproceduresandapplicableregulations. Anyconcentrationofsodiumsulfideinwaterbetween1/2to11/2% willwork,butthesuggestedminimumconcentrationappearstobe1/2%. Sincethesulfidesolutionhasadistincthydrogensulfideodor,usethe smallestvolumeandlowestconcentrationneededforresults.Thetestdoes notappeartobeleadspecific.Darksulfidesalsowillformifiron,nickel, mercury,molybdenumorcopperarepresent.Sinceheavymetalsonthe skinareingestedeasily,falsepositivesshouldnotinterferewithresultsor withtheapplicabilityofthetestinaparticularworkenvironment,given knowledgeofthemetalspresent. Thesodiumsulfidesolutionisstronglyalkaline,butnoskinirritation hasbeenreportedatconcentrationsupto8%.Skincontactwithcrystalsof higherconcentrationsofthesolutionshouldbeavoided.Consultthesodium sulfidematerialsafetydatasheet(MSDS)forfurtherhealthhazard information.Thismethodissimpletoperform,effective,inexpensiveandis incorporatedeasilyintoexistingleadsafetytrainingprograms.Minimal trainingisneededtounderstandtheresults.Suggestionsaboutwhenand howtocheckforcontaminationinclude: *Asemployeesbegintheirscheduledbreaks,performarandomspotcheck ontheirhands.Besuretocheckunderthefingernails. *Inthebreakroomandlunchroomchecktabletops,countertops,vending machinebuttons,coffeepothandles,chairsandtelephones. *Checkthestrapsandotherpartsofrespirators. *Checkrespiratorstorageareas *Performthetestonemployeeswhoarenotdirectlyexposedtolead,such as:officepersonnel,engineers,truckdrivers,warehousemen. *Checkthehands&shoesofcontractorsastheyleave. *Usingexistinghandwashingtechniques,evaluatetheeffectivenessofyour presenthandcleanerstoseehowwelltheyremovelead. Thislistisnotexhaustive.Industrialhygienists,safetyengineers,plant engineersandotherscantestanysurfacethatmaybecontaminatedwith leaddust.Spotcheckscanindicatehoweffectivecurrenthandwashingand housekeepingmethodsareandwhereimprovementsarerequired. ReprintedwithpermissionfromOccupationalHealth&SafetyFebruary 1993