Aloha, fun & authoritative answers -- no cost, no registration, no passwords, no popups
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases)

Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989

-----

Toxicity of SUS304 18/8 stainless steel

I am wondering as a manufacturer what the toxicity of SUS304 18/8 stainless
steel is, namely how much Nickel and Chromium are in it. I manufacture coffee cups out of this material and need to find out how much leaches into someone's morning coffee.

Thank you very much for providing me with this information.

Sincerely,

Justin Loewecke
Metal Manufacturer - Chicago, Illinois
February 20, 2008

Hi, Justin. You are the manufacturer and you must do any necessary testing; you can't rely on internet talk. But 18/8 stainless steel is used for knives, dishes, flatware, pots & pans, surgery, implants, and many other things. So I would say the answer is none.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 20, 2008

February 22, 2008

Justin

18/8 PH SST has 18% chromium and 8% Nickel. It is unlikely that anything fit for human consumption would be capable of leaching constituent from the metal.

Willie Alexander
- Colorado Springs, Colorado

I've heard of iron being leached off [insufficiently passivated) stainless steel surfaces into beverages (ruins the taste), but not the nickel or chromium. Willie is right, anything that could get those metals into solution is not something anybody would be drinking.

Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois

February 25, 2008

Klean Kanteen
on
Amazon

(affil links)

With the "leaching plastic" from the bottled water scare that happened (2008...ish I think) The latest thing is the push to use stainless water bottles, etc. If you google Kleen Kanteen =>
you can see them everywhere from Starbucks to gas stations. They are 304, 18/8 stainless, sold and used for human consumption.
So would say I doubt, if any, or at least any amount that exceeds toxic limits for human consumption is not present. You should be fine.
I would be more concerned about the cleanliness of your product before shipping.

Cliff Kusch
electropolishing shop - North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
September 23, 2009

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: