Resistance agent detection

Resistance Agent Detection – Accredited Restricted Substance and Chemical Compliance Testing for Global Markets

Our internationally accredited laboratory provides a comprehensive resistance agent detection service that enables manufacturers, importers, retailers and supply‑chain managers worldwide to identify and quantify the presence of restricted, banned or declarable chemical substances in their raw materials, components and finished products. Every analysis is performed within the rigorous framework of ISO/IEC 17025, and each report bearing the ILAC mark is unconditionally accepted by regulatory authorities, customs offices and notified bodies in all major economies. The resistance agent detection programme screens for a wide array of chemical agents – heavy metals, brominated flame retardants, phthalate plasticisers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, azo‑dyes releasing carcinogenic amines, and per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances – that are regulated under the EU RoHS Directive, the REACH Regulation, the Persistent Organic Pollutants Convention, the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and many other national and international legal instruments. By employing state‑of‑the‑art gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma optical emission and mass spectrometry, and ion chromatography, we deliver the legally robust, defensible chemical‑compliance data that underpin product certification, market access and brand protection on every continent.

Product Samples We Regularly Subject to Resistance Agent Detection

The sample‑preparation laboratories, clean‑room digestion facilities and high‑sensitivity instrumental suites in our facility accept a vast diversity of solid, liquid and gaseous materials. The following categories represent the most frequently tested items:

• Electrical and electronic equipment and components – printed circuit boards, solders, connectors, plastic housings, cables, switches and display panels
• Toys, childcare articles and juvenile products – plastic and wooden toys, dolls, puzzles, inflatable play equipment, strollers and feeding bottles
• Food‑contact materials and packaging – plastics, paper and board, metals, ceramics, printing inks and adhesives that come into contact with food
• Textiles, apparel, footwear and accessories – garments, bed linen, leather goods, zippers, buttons and decorative trims
• Automotive interior and exterior components – dashboard panels, seat covers, carpeting, gaskets, paints and under‑bonnet parts
• Building materials and furniture – flooring, wall coverings, sealants, paints, varnishes and composite wood products
• Cosmetics, personal‑care and household products – creams, lotions, shampoos, detergents and air fresheners

Heavy Metals and Elemental Impurities – Resistance Agent Detection According to IEC 62321, ASTM F2617 and EN 71‑3

• Screening and quantitative determination of lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium in electronic and electrical products according to IEC 62321 (Electrotechnical products – Determination of levels of six regulated substances) and ASTM F2617: the sample is prepared by mechanical grinding, and the total content of lead, mercury and cadmium is determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after acid digestion. Hexavalent chromium is specifically detected by the diphenylcarbazide colourimetric method or by ion chromatography, and the presence of chromium(VI) above 0.1 % by weight in any homogeneous material results in a non‑compliant finding. This resistance agent detection service provides the mandatory RoHS compliance data that importers and manufacturers must maintain in their technical documentation.
• Migration of heavy metals from toy materials and childcare articles according to EN 71‑3 (Safety of toys – Part 3: Migration of certain elements) and ASTM F963: the accessible substrate of the toy is extracted with a simulated gastric fluid, and the leachable concentrations of antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and selenium are measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results are compared with the maximum permitted migration limits and reported in milligrams per kilogram of the toy material.
• Determination of lead in paint and surface coatings according to ASTM F2853 and the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act: the painted surface is analysed by energy‑dispersive X‑ray fluorescence for the total lead content, and any result exceeding the 90 mg/kg threshold is confirmed by atomic absorption spectroscopy or inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after acid digestion. This resistance agent detection is mandatory for all children's products sold in the United States and in many other markets.
• Elemental impurities in pharmaceutical excipients and active ingredients according to USP ⟨232⟩, Ph. Eur. 2.4.20 and ICH Q3D: the sample is microwave‑digested, and the concentrations of Class 1 (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead), Class 2A (cobalt, nickel, vanadium) and Class 2B elements are measured by ICP‑MS against matrix‑matched calibration standards, supporting the registration of drug products with global health authorities.
• Heavy metals in food‑contact ceramics and glass according to the EU Ceramics Directive 84/500/EEC and its amendments: the article is filled with 4 % acetic acid and left for 24 hours at 22 °C, and the leachate is analysed for lead and cadmium by atomic absorption spectroscopy, verifying that the specific migration limits are not exceeded.

Brominated Flame Retardants, Phthalates and Organic Pollutants – Resistance Agent Detection According to IEC 62321, EN 14372 and ASTM D7823

• Determination of polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in polymers and electronic components according to IEC 62321‑6 and EPA Method 8270E: the sample is extracted with toluene or a suitable solvent, and the extract is analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The concentrations of monobrominated through decabrominated congeners are reported, and any detection of the restricted flame retardants above the 0.1 % threshold in a homogeneous material is flagged as a non‑compliance under the RoHS Directive and the Stockholm Convention.
• Quantification of phthalate plasticisers in plastics and childcare articles according to EN 14372 (Child use and care articles – Cutlery and feeding utensils – Safety requirements, extended to phthalate analysis) and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission method CPSC‑CH‑C1001‑09.3: the material is extracted with tetrahydrofuran or dichloromethane, and di‑2‑ethylhexyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate and di‑n‑octyl phthalate are quantified by GC‑MS. The total phthalate concentration must not exceed 0.1 % by mass in any accessible component of a children's toy or childcare article. This resistance agent detection is a mandatory requirement for the CE marking of toys and for the compliance with the US CPSIA.
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rubber, plastics and consumer goods according to AfPS GS 2019:01 PAK and EN 14372‑1: the sample is extracted and the extract is cleaned by solid‑phase extraction, and the 18 regulated PAHs – including benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene – are quantified by GC‑MS. The results are compared with the maximum permitted limits for the various product categories, and the certification is issued for the GS mark.
• Screening for short‑chain chlorinated paraffins in plastics, adhesives and sealants according to ISO 18219 and the EU Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation: the sample is extracted and the chlorinated paraffins are analysed by GC‑MS with negative chemical ionisation, achieving a detection limit below 100 mg/kg, and any article containing SCCPs above 0.15 % is prohibited from being placed on the European market.
• Determination of per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food‑contact paper and board, textiles and non‑stick coatings according to CEN/TS 15968 and ASTM D7968: the sample is extracted with methanol or a suitable solvent, and the PFAS – including perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and their precursors – are quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, supporting compliance with the EU POPs Regulation and the US state‑level restrictions.

Azo‑Dyes, Formaldehyde and Other Textile‑Related Resistance Agents – Detection According to EN 14362, ISO 14184 and EN ISO 17226

• Detection of azo‑dyes that release carcinogenic aromatic amines in textiles and leather according to EN 14362‑1 (Textiles – Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants – Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibres) and ISO 17234‑1: the sample is extracted and the dyes are reductively cleaved, and the released amines – including benzidine, 4‑aminobiphenyl, 2‑naphthylamine and 4‑chloro‑o‑toluidine – are identified and quantified by GC‑MS or HPLC‑DAD. Any detection above 30 mg/kg of a regulated amine renders the article non‑compliant with the EU REACH Regulation Annex XVII.
• Determination of free and hydrolysed formaldehyde in textiles according to ISO 14184‑1 (Textiles – Determination of formaldehyde – Part 1: Free and hydrolysed formaldehyde – Water extraction method) and the Japanese Law 112: the textile is extracted with water at 40 °C, and the formaldehyde is reacted with acetylacetone to form a coloured complex that is measured spectrophotometrically. The result is reported in milligrams per kilogram, and the limit – typically 20 mg/kg for baby clothing and 75 mg/kg for adult garments – is verified.
• Detection of pentachlorophenol, tetrachlorophenol and organotin compounds in textiles, leather and wood products according to ISO 17070 and EN ISO 17353: the sample is extracted and derivatised, and the chlorophenols or the organotin compounds are analysed by GC‑MS, with detection limits below 0.5 mg/kg, ensuring compliance with the REACH and the Biocidal Products Regulation.
• Screening for dimethyl fumarate in footwear and leather goods according to CEN ISO/TS 16186: the sample is extracted and the dimethyl fumarate concentration is determined by GC‑MS, and any article containing the anti‑mould agent above 0.1 mg/kg is prohibited in the EU under REACH and the General Product Safety Directive.
• Detection of nickel release from metallic components in prolonged skin contact according to EN 1811 and EN 12472: the article is subjected to a simulated sweat test, and the released nickel is measured by ICP‑OES, with the limit of 0.5 µg/cm²/week for post‑assembly articles and 0.2 µg/cm²/week for those inserted into pierced parts.

VOCs, Residual Solvents and Specific Chemical Agents – Resistance Agent Detection in Paints, Adhesives and Consumer Products

• Determination of volatile organic compounds in paints, varnishes and coatings according to ISO 11890‑2 and the EU Decopaint Directive: the sample is dissolved or dispersed and analysed by headspace GC‑MS, and the total VOC content in grams per litre is reported, verifying compliance with the regulatory limits for the decorative and the automotive refinish coatings.
• Detection of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in consumer products and adhesives according to EPA Method 5021A and the California Proposition 65: the sample is subjected to static headspace or purge‑and‑trap GC‑MS, and the concentrations of the individual aromatic hydrocarbons are quantified, with the benzene limit typically below 1 mg/kg for the children's products.
• Determination of residual monomers, such as styrene, acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride, in polymers and food‑contact materials according to EN 13130 and the Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011: the specific migration into the food simulants is measured by headspace GC‑MS or HPLC, and the results are compared with the specific migration limits to ensure the safety of the plastic food‑contact article.
• Screening for the presence of formaldehyde and other aldehydes in indoor air and in the emissions from building products according to ISO 16000‑3 and ASTM D5197: the air sample is collected on a dinitrophenylhydrazine cartridge, and the aldehyde‑DNPH derivatives are analysed by HPLC‑UV, providing the data for the indoor‑air‑quality certification and the low‑emission product labelling.

Report Acceptance and Global Regulatory Compliance

All analyses performed within our resistance agent detection programme are executed under the fully accredited scope of our ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system. Each test report that carries the ILAC mark is therefore automatically recognised by regulatory authorities, notified bodies, customs offices and supply‑chain partners in all major economies. For manufacturers, importers and brand owners anywhere in the world, the report constitutes legally robust, internationally accepted evidence that the restricted, banned or declarable chemical agents in the product have been identified and quantified in accordance with the applicable IEC, ASTM, ISO, EN and customer‑specified methods. The documentation can be directly used to support CE marking, the issue of inspection certificates according to EN 10204 or equivalent national standards, the compilation of technical files for the RoHS and the REACH compliance, and the resolution of commercial and technical disputes concerning the chemical safety and the regulatory conformity of any product.