Results of analysis of baby bedding and information about sheepskins

Compounds of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony are very frequently present in bedding. In some bedding they are added as part of the manufacturing process (e.g. for fire retardant or plasticising purposes). In other bedding they are naturally present (e.g. in sheepskins, kapok and tree bark).

Action of common household fungi on compounds of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony can produce extremely toxic nerve gases. These gases are (respectively) phosphines from phosphorus; arsines from arsenic; and stibines from antimony. A lethal dose of these gases shuts down the baby's central nervous system, resulting in cessation of heart and breathing function, thereby causing cot death.

A wide selection of baby bedding acquired in New Zealand (comprising new bedding, used bedding, and bedding on which cot deaths had occurred) was analysed for the presence of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony by Rooney Laboratories Ltd (UK).

All three elements were found to be present in bedding, and phosphorus was very prevalent. Sheepskins contained all three elements.

For more information about sheepskins, click here.

Results of analysis:

Mfr	New products	phosphorus	arsenic	antimony

A	Waterproof wool mattress cover	+++	-	-
A	Bassinet mattress (polyester inner)	++	-	+++
A	Bassinet mattress (foam inner)	-	-	-
B	Imported PVC cot sheet	+++	-	-
C	PVC-lined cotton mattress protector	++	-	-
D	Acrylic underblanket	+	-	-
E	Sheepskin baby rug	+++++	+	++
F	Lambskin rug	+++++	+	+++
G	Ti-tree bark bassinet mattress	+++	-	-
H	Innersprung cot mattress	++	-	-
I	Ventilated cot mattress	++	-	++++
J	Kapok	++++	-	-
K	Innersprung cot mattress	++++	-	++++
L	Imported innersprung mattress	+++	-	+

No.	Used products	phosphorus	arsenic	antimony

1	Sheepskin baby rug	+++++	+	+++
2	Bassinet mattress	++++	-	-
3	Innersprung mattress	+++++	-	-
4	Foam mattress	++++	-	-
5	Foam mattress	+++++	-	-
6	Innersprung mattress	+++++	-	+
7	Coconut fibre	++++++	+	-
8	Foam mattress	++	-	-
9	Reconstituted foam mattress	+++++	-	-
10	Innersprung mattress	++++	-	+
11	Innersprung mattress	++++	-	+
12	Innersprung mattress	+++++	-	+++
13	Innersprung mattress	++++	-	-
14	Innersprung mattress	+++	-	-
15	Innersprung mattress	+++++	-	-

No.	Cot death baby bedding	phosphorus	arsenic	antimony

CD1	Pillow cover	++	-	-
CD1	Pillow polyester inner	+	-	+++
CD2	Mattress cover	+++	-	-
CD2	Mattress foam	++	++	-
CD3	Mattress cover	+++	-	-
CD3	Mattress foam	+++	+	-
CD3	Sheepskin rug	++++++	+	++++
CD4	Mattress cover	+++	-	-
CD4	Mattress foam	-	-	-
CD5	Mattress foam	+	-	-
CD5	Mattress cover	+++++	-	-
CD5	Sheepfleece underlay	+++	-	-
CD5	Sheepskin rug	+++++	+	+++
CD5	Wool blanket	++	-	-

Code description:

-	=	not detected	(<10mg/kg)
+	=	10 ~	50mg/kg
++	=	51 ~	100mg/kg
+++	=	101 ~	200mg/kg
++++	=	201 ~	500mg/kg
+++++	=	501 ~	1000mg/kg
++++++	=	>	1000mg/kg

Information About Sheepskins

Sheepskins almost invariably contain significant quantities of phosphorus, and in addition many New Zealand sheepskins contain significant quantities of arsenic.

Action of common household fungi on compounds of phosphorus and arsenic can lead to the generation of intensely poisonous nerve gases known as (respectively) phosphines and arsines.

This gas generation resulted in the deaths of many children in Europe during the 1800s. The cause of these deaths was discovered by the Italian chemist Gosio in 1892. (Azione di alcune muffe sui composti fissi d'arsenico, Riv d'Igiene e San Publ (1892) 3:201-230 & 261-273; Action de quelques moisissures sur les composes fixes d'arsenic, Arch Ital Biol (1893) 18:253-265)

Sheepskins have been shown by analysis to contain far more phosphorus and arsenic than is necessary to poison a baby by phosphine and/or arsine gas generation. (See the Results of analysis table above.)

The New Zealand Cot Death Study (1987-1990) found that of the 393 cot deaths investigated in the study, 42% occurred on sheepskins. (Sheepskin bedding and the sudden infant death syndrome, J Pediatr 1998; 133 (5):701-4)

At the Sixth SIDS International Conference in February 2000, scientist Dr W R Cullen reported proof of the generation of trimethylarsine (a form of arsine) from sheepskin intended for use as baby bedding. (Arsenic methylation by micro-organisms isolated from sheepskin bedding materials, Human & Experimental Toxicology (2003) 22:325-334)

On the basis of the above data, the use of sheepskins as baby bedding should be discontinued.

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