Lead is very dangerous to human health. In fact, especially for children, lead exposure can cause irreversible and lifelong health effects, including affecting IQ, focus and academic achievement. Unfortunately, drinking water is a potential source of lead in older homes. Not only are lead pipes still in service, brass or copper plumbing fixtures or pipes were often used to be welded with lead.
But there are precautions you can take. The Dexsil Lead Test is a sensitive field test for nonporous surfaces suspected to be contaminated with lead. Each swab is a self-contained single use test configured for ease of use and precise delivery of the test reagents. For the plumbing industry, that means testing brass fittings, solder or even pipes themselves.
“With the quickly approaching EPA Lead & Copper Rule inventory deadline (Oct. 16, 2024), many folks are now using Dexsil Lead Test to test and inventory lead service lines,” says Patrick Vogt, sales and marketing manager for Dexsil. “Whether you are a residential plumber, a backflow tester or a water utility, the Dexsil Lead Test has a place in your tool bag.”
Engineered to meet or exceed all EPA criteria for sensitivity and specificity for a surface-wipe lead test kit, the system was developed using the rigorous NIST and EPA test protocols developed for HUD properties. Reagents are premeasured in crushable ampules contained in a plastic tube and safety sleeve. To ensure a long shelf life, the reagents are sealed in separate ampules and only activated at the time of the test. According to Vogt, Dexsil has put years of research and development into the testing formula.
“We actually came very close to bringing a lead swab test to market over 30 years ago, but shelved the project in favor of other new products,” he says. “In light of the lack of availability of the once popular 3M product, we saw a good opportunity to bring a superior lead test to market. We used the EPA/HUD criteria for sensitivity and specificity for surface-wipe lead test kits. This guiding document, coupled with our many years of research and development experience, lead us to the product that we have today.”
Vogt says the product has fulfilled a big need in the industry. “The market was hungry for a reliable, simple, and economical option for testing a variety of surfaces for lead, and Dexsil was able to deliver,” he says. 203-288-3509; www.dexsil.com
