
The copper used in electronics for kids can make for a lot of fun, but it also has the potential to be a serious fire hazard, especially for those with health concerns.
That’s the lesson from a recent study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
The study analyzed data from an electrical device called a “neo-grid” made of an old copper wire.
The devices use a process called electron transfer to transfer electrons from a conductor to a ground, which is a metal, such as copper.
That copper is used in everything from light bulbs to small electronics.
But the study found that the copper wiring used in many of the devices has some nasty chemical constituents, including lead and copper compounds that could potentially cause health problems.
One of the lead compounds found in the wire is lead carbamate, which has been linked to lead poisoning.
The chemical was discovered in a sample of copper used to make an electric power line in an old industrial building in China.
Researchers believe it could be a problem because it was found in a similar sample of metal used to construct the neon lights used in the neon sign.
The lead carbamates were present in the same metal used for the neon light tubes.
The lead compounds could also be present in other parts of the wiring, including a copper conductor.
“If we are not careful, there could be potentially dangerous lead compounds in the copper that could be passed on to children,” said study author Eric Fink, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Fink said the lead carbamses were found in many parts of a copper wire, but they tended to be smaller and less densely packed, which could explain why lead carbamines were more common in parts of older wiring.
Lead carbamides are very short-lived, and they are toxic if they are inhaled, so children should be kept away from any parts of wiring that could harbor them, he said.
Copper is also used in devices for heating and air conditioners, and it can also be used to connect electrical devices to a computer, Fink said.
Copper wiring used for these applications is typically made from older copper.
The researchers say the study shows the potential for exposure to lead carbamicates in these older wires.
“We want to make sure that this is something that we take seriously,” Fink told AP.