National Allergy Research Centre, Department of Dermato-Allergology, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, University of Copenhagen, DK-2900 Hellerup, Denmark.
Contact Dermatitis. 2010 Aug;63(2):70-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2010.01752.x.
Before the introduction of the EU Nickel Directive, concern was raised that manufacturers of jewellery might turn from the use of nickel to cobalt following the regulatory intervention on nickel exposure.
The aim was to study 354 consumer items using the cobalt spot test. Cobalt release was assessed to obtain a risk estimate of cobalt allergy and dermatitis in consumers who would wear the jewellery.
The cobalt spot test was used to assess cobalt release from all items. Microstructural characterization was made using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).
Cobalt release was found in 4 (1.1%) of 354 items. All these had a dark appearance. SEM/EDS was performed on the four dark appearing items which showed tin-cobalt plating on these.
This study showed that only a minority of inexpensive jewellery purchased in Denmark released cobalt when analysed with the cobalt spot test. As fashion trends fluctuate and we found cobalt release from dark appearing jewellery, cobalt release from consumer items should be monitored in the future. Industries may not be fully aware of the potential cobalt allergy problem.
在欧盟镍指令出台之前，人们担心随着对镍暴露的监管干预，珠宝制造商可能会从使用镍转向使用钴。
研究 354 件消费品，使用钴斑测试评估钴释放，以评估佩戴这些珠宝的消费者发生钴过敏和皮炎的风险。
使用钴斑测试评估所有物品的钴释放情况。使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和能谱仪（EDS）进行微观结构特征分析。
在 354 件物品中发现 4 件（1.1%）释放钴。所有这些都呈现出深色外观。对四个外观呈深色的物品进行 SEM/EDS 分析，结果显示这些物品上有锡钴电镀。
本研究表明，在丹麦购买的廉价珠宝中，只有少数用钴斑测试分析时释放钴。由于时尚潮流的波动，我们发现深色珠宝会释放钴，因此未来应监测消费品的钴释放情况。各行业可能尚未充分意识到潜在的钴过敏问题。
