Mercury Testing

The Mercury Problem in Cosmetic Products

For the past 10 years, the US FDA has been extremely vigilant regarding the presence of mercury in cosmetic products. During this period of time, the presence of mercury in US-manufactured products has dropped dramatically; however, the problem persists in products manufactured outside of the US and particularly those originating from the East and the far East. Of particular concern are cosmetic “anti-aging” and “skin-lightening” products, however unsafe levels of mercury have also been found in beauty and antiseptic soaps.

FDA Limit for Mercury in Cosmetic Products

FDA believes that the current maximum limit of 1 part per million (ppm) of mercury for most cosmetic products do not pose a risk to human health. Owing to FDA’s shining a light on this problem, many US digital and high-profile retailers now require their vendors to conduct testing for the presence of mercury in the products which they provide. Only those vendors who can demonstrate compliance with the current mercury FDA limit of 1 ppm are now being accepted by these retailers.

How is Mercury testing conducted?

The testing for mercury in cosmetic products requires a high level of sensitivity since the FDA maximum limit is 1 ppm. The most common technologies that are employed in testing for trace levels of mercury are Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and an array of dedicated mercury analyzers including Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence (CVAF).

How can CPTSM assist product vendors and retailers in testing for Mercury?

CPT℠ is a highly compliant FDA-registered GMP/GLP testing laboratory that is also ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited (Accreditation # 80071). You can rely upon us to provide strategic planning assistance and testing services that are appropriate for determining the level of mercury in cosmetic products and products from other susceptible categories such as foods/dietary supplements (fish oils) and drug products.

Inductively Coupled Plasma with Mass Spectrometric detection (ICP-MS) is the method employed by CPT℠ for determining low levels of mercury in raw materials, products, intermediates and packaging components.

Our team of experts in the area of low-level analyte testing stands ready to assist you in monitoring the quality of your products and the components from which they are comprised. Fill out the form on this page to get in touch with our team about getting your product tested for mercury.

Our Departments

Based on the individual needs of our clients, we offer a wide range of support across various departments. Since initial product testing can be fairly complex in terms of a high-quality, safe and trusted product, our clients typically explore the benefits of numerous departments and areas of expertise, including:

  • Clinical — Efficacy trials can be performed for safety, consumer in-use, and to support claims such as ‘dermatologist-tested’ and ‘ophthalmologist-tested.’
  • In-Vitro Toxicology — Our In-Vitro Toxicology department assists clients when they are looking to perform non-animal (animal-free) toxicology testing.
  • Microbiology — Microbial contamination and preservative efficacy testing are key to cosmetic and OTC drug products.
  • Photobiology — From SPF and Water-Resistant claims to Photoallergy and Phototoxicity studies, CPT℠ is the world leader in sunscreen testing.
  • Analytical — From raw materials, product batch release, and stability shelf-life testing to “free-of” and low-level detection claims, our analytical department ensures that all requirements are met based on industry standards.
  • Consulting – Our consulting staff can perform GMP and GLP audits of your facilities or vendors, help create SOPs, develop testing programs, etc.

Get In Touch

Please Note: CPT℠ only performs testing for companies. We do not perform product testing for the general public.