THE LEACHING OF NICKEL FROM NEW AND USED METAL SPECTACLE FRAMES

Fifty ''used'' and 373 new spectacle frames were tested for evidence o f nickel release using dimethylglyoxime and ammonia. Nearly all the '' used'' frames (96%) tested positive. A lower proportion (24.5%) of new frames showed evidence of nickel leaching. It is suggested that this is evidence of non-conformance with the current British Standard altho ugh all our suppliers believed that their frames conformed with BS 662 5 (1985). (C) 1998 The College of Optometrists. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.