Westminster College chemistry and biochemistry majors in Advanced Lab class participated in a service learning project with Westminster's Preschool Lab.

The project was coordinated by Dr. Helen Boylan, Westminster associate professor of chemistry; Diana Reed, Westminster preschool head teacher; and Deborah Roud, Westminster preschool teacher.

Parents of preschool students donated a variety of toys that were analyzed for lead content. The toys were initially screened using a spot test, a qualitative test that indicates the presence of lead through a color change. Some toys were subjected to additional testing with atomic absorption spectroscopy, a sophisticated instrumental technique. Only a few toys and household products showed the presence of lead, and those were well below the regulated level of 600 parts per million.

A commercially available test kit for lead was evaluated and was determined not to work well for toys.

Findings were presented at a parent forum May 6.

"The parents from the Preschool Lab that attended the program were impressed with the Westminster students' presentation and poise," Reed said. "A typical parent comment was 'informative and interesting.'"

Contact Boylan at (724) 946-6293 (e-mail boylanhm@westminster.edu) or Reed at (724) 946-7174 (e-mail reedd@westminster.edu) for additional information.

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