Heavy Metals Can Damage Brain

educational toy which many in the market was not safe for children. Various types of educational toys for children from 2-5 years of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr).
Research Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) with the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (UI Faculty) found four different heavy metals from the paint used on the toys. Sunardi, UI Faculty researchers in the lab, said the heavy metals can damage the brain, causing paralysis, reduced intelligence, kidney damage, and cancer.
"The impact of heavy metals in children depends on the amount of heavy metals into the body," said Sunardi, Wednesday (25/1), in YLKI Jakarta.
Noor Jehan, YLKI researcher, said the study focused on the presence or absence of heavy metal content in children's toys. The reason, the content of heavy metals could potentially get into the child's body through the mouth as easy peeling paint.
"If only the views of the dermal absorption of heavy metals, heavy metals contained in educational toys still meet the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). However, there is potential for heavy metals ingested through the paint stuck to the hands of children, "said Jehan.
He took 21 examples of children's educational toys that are sold in malls, markets and shopping centers in the five areas of Jakarta. Toys that include abacus, wooden trains, gauge blocks, block houses, and puzzles.
As a result, only one kind of toys do not contain heavy metals. "I do not know that toys come from inside or outside the country because disguised the name and country of origin," said Sunardi.
Said Jehan, educational toys containing heavy metals are made at home and abroad. "There are no guarantees. Toys imported or local, expensive or cheap, both contain heavy metals. In toys labeled non-toxic (non-toxic) there was heavy metal, "he said.
Sunardi states, in addition to children's toys, which also need to watch out for are crayons used by the children to color. The dye needs to be examined on its contents as crayons crayon wrappers are open. Dye attached to the hands of children can be swallowed