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Should I care about lead-free solder impurities?

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neazoi

neazoi

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Hi,
I have the lead-free solder in 1.pdf (Sn/Cu).
At 2.pdf a typical SAC305 alloy is shown.

I see many impurities and in the case of my solder (Sn/Cu) there are more metals in it.

Should I worry about poisoning myself (primarily through skin contact or possible inhalation of any vaporized micro-metal particles) throughout the years of soldering with this alloy, assuming hand wash after finishing soldering?

*by the way I am not sure if lead-based 60/40 solder contains any other metals impurities.

Thank you
 

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A few years ago the company I was working with did tests on employees that worked on continuous soldering lines. Some worked with hand tools, including soldering parts on to PCBS, some worked on flow solder machines where large PCBs (PC motherboards) were soldered at a rate of one every few seconds. None of the employees showed elevated levels of lead or any other metals in the process, even after months on the production lines.

Unless you eat it (not recommended - and it probably tastes bad anyway!) you should be safe.

Brian.
 
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    neazoi

    neazoi

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betwixt said:
A few years ago the company I was working with did tests on employees that worked on continuous soldering lines. Some worked with hand tools, including soldering parts on to PCBS, some worked on flow solder machines where large PCBs (PC motherboards) were soldered at a rate of one every few seconds. None of the employees showed elevated levels of lead or any other metals in the process, even after months on the production lines.

Unless you eat it (not recommended - and it probably tastes bad anyway!) you should be safe.

Brian.
Click to expand...

Reading about all these harmful metals scares you initially. It makes one wonder if every metal we touch in our life contains many of these and other harmful impurities. And we are ignorant.
 

You have to consider the method of entry to your body. Direct ingestion (eating it!) places the metal in the acids in your stomach where they may dissolve and enter your blood stream. If all you do is touch the metals, they are in contact with a far more diluted acid from the pores in your skin. Almost none is dissolved and the flow from your skin pores it outward so it tends to flush contaminants away rather than absorb them. It is true that some substances are absorbed through the skin but they tend to be in liquid form and designed to interact with skin tissues.

Brian.
 
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