Can decorated ceramic mugs leach cadmium and lead?
Yes. A 2025 study found cadmium and lead migrated from ceramic mugs in a 4% acetic acid test, especially from decorated lip areas.
What is actually in it
Some ceramic mugs use glazes or decorative pigments that contain cadmium or lead. The concern is highest when decoration reaches the rim or lip area, where your mouth touches the mug.
Not every ceramic mug has this problem. The risk depends on the glaze, pigment, firing, age, wear, and whether the decorated surface contacts drink or lips.
What the research says
A 2025 study in J Hazard Mater tested new and second-hand ceramic mugs with 4% acetic acid over 24 hours.
The study found cadmium and lead migration from both interior and exterior lip-area surfaces. Migration was higher from exterior lip areas, especially where overglazed decoration used cadmium sulphoselenide pigments.
Interior 24-hour concentrations stayed below current EU limits in this study, but lip-area migration is not currently regulated the same way. For daily coffee or tea, a plain glass cup avoids ceramic glaze and rim-decoration concerns.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Migration kinetics of cadmium and lead from ceramic mugs. | J Hazard Mater | 2025 |