Analysis of Nickel in cosmetic products by ICP-MS

The daily use of cosmetic products affects the external and internal surfaces of the human body. Serious concern arises considering the possible contamination by heavy metals, which are well known to be ubiquitous, coming both from the raw materials used and from the production technology involved. The use of metals as ingredients is now explicitly prohibited by the aforementioned Regulation which includes them in Annex II, but at the same time the presence of traces of metals is tolerated as long as they comply with three conditions:

1. that it is technically unavoidable;
2. that it occurs despite the observance of good manufacturing practices;
3. that the product is safe under reasonable conditions of use.

At the moment there are no European or international standards that define the levels of heavy metals identifiable as unavoidable traces. In Italy the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) currently considers a maximum nickel limit of 1 mg / kg as "technically unavoidable traces", i.e. 0.0001%. Nickel is primarily responsible for contact allergic reactions and consumers can rely on the claim "Nickel Tested" accompanied by an indication of the percentage tested, i.e.

The determination of heavy metals can be performed through the use of techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (CRF), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) or inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Laemmegroup has developed a new method according to ISO 21392: 2021 through microwave digestion for quantitative determination of Nickel using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in cosmetic products.  The novelty introduced by ISO 21392:2021 is the harmonization of the method for the determination of heavy metals such as nickel, which allows for standardized results among all parties involved and the achievement of highly sensitive results. The accreditation process is underway and Laemmegroup will be the second accredited laboratory ISO 17025:2018 in Italy. Limit of quantification (LOQ): 0,5mg/kg(0,00005%)

About Laemmegroup S.r.l.

Laemmegroup is a service company with specialized laboratories for analysis of food, feed and water for human consumption. Through the use of the most current technologies, it performs analyses for all sectors of agri-food production.