ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Hey Len,
I haven't taken a look at Jonah's reference, but here's my two cents.
The words are reduce and minimize, and that's a complex question that
depends upon many variables: like sensitivity, prior history, exposure
(amount and duration). Staff exposure is likely to be more
problematic than visitor exposure.
To scratch the surface, unless you assay the incoming components and
control their chemical composition, and monitor how and how long
people work with the materials it's an uncontrolled experiment.
Maybe, some toxicologist somewhere has tested some large number of
children and adults working with disassembling random electronic
components and monitored absorption and physiological levels of lead
and cadmium. I've done chronic lead exposures on rats and even
controlled experiments are hard to reliably do. Acute exposures are
not likely to be a problem, but could be.
For example, solid lead contact typically isn't a big deal, people
been working with for years without significant problems. As far as I
know––probably more danger from some drinking water, paint-dust, and
chemical leeching which makes it soluble and ingestible than touching
or handling it.
What you can do is minimize contact, not ingest, and prevent
aerosolization and vaporization. I suspect most museums don't worry
about it for a whole bunch of reasons, starting with shear ignorance
and proceeding from there to considered costs benefits, hazard analysis.
No insurance company or toxicologist worth there salt is going to give
the activity a clean bill of health, there will be risk and there is
not a way to quantify that level of risk without controlling
variables, and there are many.
Charles
On Nov 17, 2008, at 11:55 AM, JT Stone wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Thank you, Jonah! That was very helpful.
>
> Janet Stone
> Director of Operations
> Lancaster Science Factory
> www.lancastersciencefactory.org
> 717-509-6388
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Coming in January '09!
> K'nex Exhibit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jonah Cohen
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 10:07 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Electronics and lead
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> ****************************************************************************
> *
>
> Head to the ASTC Archives
> (http://community.lsoft.com/SCRIPTS/WA-LSOFTDONATIONS.EXE?S1=ISEN-ASTC-L
> ) and search the subject line for 'machine dissection' --- you'll get
> some useful advice that I was given a few years back.
>
> Jonah Cohen
> Outreach & Public Programs Manager
> The Children's Museum
>
>
> "You were meant for me. Perhaps as punishment."
> -Despair.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of JT Stone
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 9:59 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Electronics and lead
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and
> related
> institutions.
> ************************************************************************
> *****
>
> I would appreciate receiving directly any comments concerning this
> subject, as we are about to embark on a program that will involve
> children taking apart small appliances. My email and phone contact
> are
> below. Thank you.
>
> Janet Stone
> Director of Operations
> Lancaster Science Factory
> www.lancastersciencefactory.org
> 717-509-6388
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Coming in January '09!
> K'nex Exhibit
>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> and the
> Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
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>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org
> .
>
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-
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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
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