[bright music] - [Andrea] Little children put almost anything in their mouth.

It's one of the first ways they learn to interact with the world.

But sometimes, those items going into the mouth include crayons and other art supplies that could be toxic.

And that's where Dr.

Chester Rodriguez comes in.

He's the director of the Duke Toxicology Program.

- Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.

We are a small toxicology program, and we specialize in the evaluations of arts and craft consumer products.

Things like pencils, markers, glues, clays, et cetera, et cetera.

We are considered the gold standard in the evaluation of arts and crafts consumer products.

We are the primary toxicology provider for an organization known as ACMI.

ACMI stands for the Arts and Crafts Creative Material Institute.

And what they do is that they promote, you know, the safety of arts and craft consumer products through a certification program.

- [Andrea] Duke's toxicologists have been researching the toxins in arts and crafts since the 1980s.

It's so specialized and unique, the group screens products for countries around the world.

- The process actually starts with getting the confidential product formula.

You know, that means the chemical composition of the product.

So we get that.

You know, sometimes companies do not own directly the formula, so we have to work with their suppliers.

[light music] - Think baking cookies.

Just in reverse.

In the kitchen, raw ingredients are mixed together to make the final product, the cookies.

[oven clicking] In the Duke lab, toxicologists take the final product, the art supply, and break it down into the raw ingredients it's made from.

- We have to have the whole formula of the product.

You know, after that, the toxicologist will go in, and we have to make sure that we have safety information for each of the ingredients, whether they can act on their own or in combination.

And then the toxicologist will determine whether any labeling, any hazard labeling, will be required for the product.

You know, when I say hazard labeling, I mean things like, "Caution: This could irritate the eyes or the skin."

- [Andrea] Product testing takes as long as needed.

Some products must be recertified every few years.

- You know, for one thing, if we get new ingredients for which we don't know anything about, then that's gonna take more time, okay?

You also have product lines with many, many colors.

Each of those colors have to be tested for contaminants like lead.

One of the good things about ACMI certification is that they have a very robust, you know, lead testing program.

Lead is a common contaminant in a lot of pigments.

- [Andrea] The ACMI certifies products with two seals.

- One is called AP and stands for Approved Product, and the other one stands for CL, Cautionary Labeling.

AP means that the product is safe for the intended use.

You know, it could be a paint, it could be a marker, it could be a glue.

So AP products are safe for the intended use, and there are no warnings required for any acute or chronic health risks.

- [Andrea] In addition to testing ingredients' safety, Duke's researchers continue their work beyond the product.

- So we move the science forward.

We publish results, you know, in the scientific literature.

We're also a training ground for new toxicologists, right, so that the next generation of toxicologists will be trained with getting the confidential product formula.

You know, that means this type of work.

- [Andrea] And Dr.

Rodriguez says he is reminded almost daily of how his research has made a difference.

- You know, you go to a restaurant with your child, your niece, or your nephew, and the first thing the server, you know, may bring you is crayons for the kids, right, to draw and pass the time so that you could have your meal in peace, [laughing] right?

You know, the presumed safety is something that it took a lotta years.

And I have to say that this program was instrumental in promoting the safety and regulations of these products.

[light music]