Make sure your glassware and decanters are lead free.
Hold a lead crystal stemware or decanter up to the light. Watch the light refract through the heavy crystal. You know you are holding a valuable piece of glassware. Use the lead crystal for food or drink, especially storage, and you expose yourself to health hazards. The extent of the hazard depends upon your age and the type of use.
Lead
The health hazard posed by crystal results from the lead used in its manufacture. According to Health Canada, even small amounts of lead are dangerous to your health. Lead is more dangerous to children due to their growing bodies than adults. Children are not as likely to use lead crystal as their parents. Do not serve a child a soft drink or fruit juice in a lead crystal glass. For adults dangers include reproductive problems in both men and women. Lead exposure can cause high blood pressure, hypertension, nerve disorders and muscle and joint pain. It can also impair the brain's ability to concentrate and retain information.
Storage
Lead crystal decanters are used to store liquids, primarily wine. The health hazard involves the fact that small amounts of lead leach from the crystal into the stored substance. Do not store wine or any other liquid in a lead crystal decanter. Ignore how nice the wine looks in the crystal. Find an alternative for storage. Over a period of weeks or months, any small amount of lead entering the wine can cause serious problems.
Hazards
According to Health Canada, acidic foods and beverages are more likely to absorb lead. Examples are fruit juices, soft drinks and wine. Tests have shown that the amount of lead contained in beverages served at a meal in lead crystal does not exceed the maximum allowable. Because children are more prone to lead poisoning, do not serve anything to a child in lead crystal. For beverages stored in , tests show the amount of lead to be 100 times higher than the limit. Lead can be stored in the body, so long-term exposure to lead can lead to health problems including weakness and fatigue due to low red blood cells.
Alternatives
According to Fine Crystal Glassware, an alternative exists to lead crystal. Known as lead-free crystal, its manufacture substitutes barium oxide for lead. Lead was used in the manufacture of crystal because it made the crystal easier to work with and it provided the light refraction effect that characterizes lead crystal. Consumers came to know that lead crystal was heavy, produced a beautiful effect in light and was the best crystal to purchase. Even though barium oxide can produce all the same effects, except for the weight, it is still not lead crystal. For health reasons, consumers should make the switch.
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