What is the difference between lead in paint testing and dust lead testing?

What is the difference between lead in paint testing and dust lead testing?

• A. Lead-in-paint testing measures lead content in dust.
• B. Lead-in-paint testing measures lead content in paint; dust lead testing measures lead dust on surfaces.
• C. Both tests measure the same parameter in different units.
• D. Lead-in-paint testing measures lead in soil.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that these tests look at different materials and tell you different things about lead exposure. Lead-in-paint testing checks the actual paint coating to see how much lead is in the paint itself, usually reported as lead content by weight (ppm or percentage). Dust lead testing, meanwhile, collects wipe samples from surfaces to measure how much lead is present in the dust that people can touch or that can become airborne, typically reported as micrograms of lead per square foot. So one test answers “does this paint contain lead?” and the other answers “how much lead-contaminated dust is on surfaces?” The other ideas mix up the material being tested or the measurement concept, which is why they’re not correct.

The key idea is that these tests look at different materials and tell you different things about lead exposure. Lead-in-paint testing checks the actual paint coating to see how much lead is in the paint itself, usually reported as lead content by weight (ppm or percentage). Dust lead testing, meanwhile, collects wipe samples from surfaces to measure how much lead is present in the dust that people can touch or that can become airborne, typically reported as micrograms of lead per square foot. So one test answers “does this paint contain lead?” and the other answers “how much lead-contaminated dust is on surfaces?” The other ideas mix up the material being tested or the measurement concept, which is why they’re not correct.