msqinc said 2013-01-16 07:29:44 -0500

Brass or copper tea pots and tea ball

HI,
I’m a jeweler and am design a custom tea ball as a gift. I’m trying to find out if it’s safe to use copper, brass or bronze. I’ve read some articles that say it’s safe and others that say there can be either arsenic or lead that can leach out over time. Does anybody know which is true?
Thanks for your input.
Sandra

3 Replies

zazen5 said 2013-01-16 11:34:37 -0500

Not only lead, but beware of copper which as an element is antagonistic to zinc. High copper can lead to a paradox of racing mind and fatigued body. There is much information on this if you look up the studies. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300483X03001598 for example. Copper in large amounts acts similarly to amphetamines in the body.

msqinc said 2013-01-16 12:06:31 -0500

Thanks for the reply. So I’m guessing of the metals I have available.
Brass, copper, bronze and nickel and silver. Silver is my safest option.

tperez said 2013-01-16 12:25:22 -0500

Silver or nickel would definitely be the better options. Nickel might be easier to care for (less oxidation)