[Determined]

Dear all,

This is a non-native English layman speaking, so bear with me.

Is it possible to remove lead from a decorative glaze? I bought a nice ceramic mug, made in China. But I'm a bit insecure about it's safety. It has a reactive glaze, comparable to this one:
https://www.therange.co.uk/cooking-and-dining/tableware-and-dinnerware/mugs-and-cups/mugs/plain-mugs/reactive-glaze-barrel-mug-16oz/#246495

Someone once told me you can soak it in an acidic solution (like hot water with vinegar, I guess). Would this actually help?

Also, are home testkits for lead trustworhty for testing ceramic glazes? Like these:
https://www.amazon.nl/SCITUS-know-understand-testresultaten-loodtestkits/dp/B07NBH7KJJ
https://vicedeal.com/products/lead-test-swabs-30pcs-gevoelige-lood-controleren-test-kit-voor-huis-verf-metaal-gerechten-en-andere-geschilderde-oppervlak?variant=UHJvZHVjdFZhcmlhbnQ6MjI5OTAwNTgw

Kind regards,

Determined

[Corribus]

First, have you verified that there is lead in the glaze?

Assuming yes, there is no way to actively remove the lead. All you can do is an extraction, but it will take time and short of having a good analytical method, it will be hard to know when the extraction have reached a level you're comfortable with. You can test the liquid, but that won't tell you how much is remaining in the glaze. For that you'd need specialized equipment. Extraction into acid (vinegar) will be more effective.

You might try googling "lead migration ceramic" to find some scientific articles on the subject. E.g.,

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328140516_Lead_Migration_from_Ceramicware_in_Contact_with_Foodstuff_Effect_of_Glaze_Temperature_pH_and_Food_Simulant

Lead migration will probably be a lot lower into higher pH liquids, like water.

My advice is, if you're concerned, to use a different cup.

[Determined]

Thanks a lot for your answer Corribus.

I bought the cup as part of a mourning/grief process and I'd really like to be able to use it. The producer said it did not contain any lead, but I'm unsure how reliable his words are.

With extraction in vinegar, I guess it wouldn't be as simple as boiling the cup in vinegar?

What's your opinion on the test kits I found? I found out they use sodium rhodizonate.