Lead in Household Dust Testing: Which Lab ???

[frogblender]

I want to test for lead in household dust. Where can I get this done?

The fine folks at Univ of NC Asheville, for years, used to offer lead in water, lead in dust, and lead in soil testing as part of a research study, for about $25 apiece (including shipping the little bottles and whatnot to Canada). But alas, UNC closed up its lead shop about two years ago, and now I'm wanting.

[smitty9999]

What makes you think you have lead in your dust?

[VCR]

What makes you think you have lead in your dust?

Maybe the house is an older one:

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/mah...inaiqu_007.cfm

Lead in Older Homes
Who May Be at Risk?

* Do you live in a home built before 1960?
* Was the plumbing in your home installed before 1990?
* Do you live near an industry (such as a lead-battery recycling factory) where lead has been used?

Approximately one out of four Canadian dwellings was built prior to 1960. It is best to assume that a dwelling constructed before 1960 contains leaded paint. If you answered “yes” or “I don’t know” to any of the above questions, your family may be at risk of lead exposure. While not all older homes pose lead hazards, some do, and there are precautionary measures that you need to be aware of as a homeowner or tenant. Read on to learn more.

[frogblender]

What makes you think you have lead in your dust?

Aye, like VCR said, it's not a new house. Pretty well guaranteed to be chock full of lead paint.

from CMHC: "It is best to assume that a dwelling constructed before 1960 contains leaded paint."
I don't know where they get 1960. Lead paint wasn't banned until 1978 in the USA, and even later in Canada. And don't for a second think that any existing stockpiles of leaded paint were immediately thrown into the garbage on Jan1, 1978.

[rounder]

Try Maxaam labs

http://maxxam.ca/about-maxxam/contact-us/ontario

Failing that, look in Yellow Pages under Asbestos, and look for an Asbestos or Environmental Consultant. If you are really worried, and want to know about each and every surface, look for a consultant with an XRF. It will give you immideate results, at a rate of about $35/shot.

Don't forget that we can process a certainamount of lead. The best analogy is that our bodies are like bathtubs. If the rate of ingestion is fairly small, our bodies filter it, like the overflow on a bathtub. If we open the taps wide open, our bodies can't process it, and it is too much for the "overflow" to handle.