Cobalt content of household cleaning products

In our Department, the incidence of sensitization to cobalt has more than doubled in the last 5 years. 28% of cobalt-sensitive patients showed no other sensitivity. Of isolated cobalt sensitive patients, 68% were housewives. We determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with a graphite camera, the cobalt and nickel content of the 30 most popular Spanish domestic detergents and cleaners sold in 1985. 78.6% of them contain considerable amounts of cobalt.