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REACH

REACH is a new European regulation on chemicals and their safe use (EC 1907/2006). It has one key central aim, to protect human health and the environment from the risks arising from the use of chemicals. The regulation covers intentional and unintentional release of substances/chemicals from preparations and articles (e.g. plasticisers from paints/coatings, fragrances from textiles, chemicals from flooring).

Managing chemical risks

The REACH Regulation requires industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on their substances for consumers/users. Manufacturers and importers are required to gather information on the properties of their chemical substances, which will ensure their safe handling, and to register this information in a central database run by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Intentional and unintentional chemical release

Where relevant the ‘exposure scenarios’ must include intended release i.e. emission of a substance from a preparation or article that has an accessory function (e.g. a fragrance from a scented product) as well as accidental or unintentional emissions of chemicals to the indoor environment where these could present a hazard (i.e. emission of substances of very high concern (SVHC) that could present an exposure risk to consumers via inhalation).

Risk management measures must then be applied to ensure that exposure to chemical substances released by articles, is controlled below safe levels throughout the whole life cycle of a product; manufacture, use and disposal.

Instrumentation for REACH

Thermal desorption (TD) with GCMS is the analytical method of choice for measuring levels of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs) intentionally or unintentionally released/emitted by articles. The products are typically placed in suitable emission test cells or chambers (e.g. FLEC®). They are then purged with pure humidified air at controlled temperatures and the emitted vapours (VOCs/SVOCs) are collected on sorbent tubes or special monitors for formaldehyde. These tests are well established and comprehensive but can take several days and may be expensive.

Example emission test method protocols include:

EN/ISO 16000 series methods (formerly ENV 13419)
ASTM D5196, D6330, D7143, D6196
German AgBB
French AFSSET
Californian CHPS program
Various voluntary product labelling schemes
Various proprietary car trim tests

Screening for chemical release

Some smaller or more homogeneous products and materials are suitable for chemical release/emissions screening using Markes Micro-chamber / Thermal Extractor. The µ-CTE is also used in conjunction with vapour sampling and thermal desorption GC/MS (or alternative formaldehyde tests) but is cheaper and quicker allowing up to 6 samples to be processed simultaneously and within a few minutes of production.

In-house QC

Markes also provides innovative and flexible equipment for chemical content testing and emissions screening via gas extraction-techniques, such as headspace(HS)-TD and direct thermal desorption/extraction.

Relevant available technical support literature includes:

Thermal Desorption: A Practical Applications Guide. II Residual Volatiles & Materials Emissions Testing.

TDTS 09: Monitoring materials and processes for trace level volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

TDTS 35: Thermal desorption of dioctylphthalate and other plasticizers

TDTS 40: Direct desorption of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds from furnishings such as leather or textiles

TDTS 53: Quantitative Recovery of High Boiling (> 450°C) Semi-Volatiles (sVOCs) using Thermal Desorption - GCMS

TDTS 57: Characterisation of paint samples by direct desorption TD-GC-MS

TDTS 67: Using the Micro-Chamber / Thermal Extractor (µ-CTE) to automate materials emissions testing for industrial quality control

TDTS 69: The Micro-Chamber / Thermal Extractor - the innovative, rapid and cost effective approach for testing VOC emissions from materials

TDTS 71: Summary of FLEC applications

TDTS 73: Summary of peer-reviewed publication: ‘A microscale device for measuring emissions from materials for indoor use’

TDTS 74: Summary of peer-reviewed publication: ‘Emission cells and comparison to small chambers for materials emissions testing’

Further details

Further details regarding approaches, techniques and guidelines (specific to your industry) for REACH emissions testing can be obtained by contacting one of our Materials Emissions Specialists

Useful Links

European Commission

European Chemicals Agency

Commercial laboratories

SGS

Eurofins - "Micro-Chamber - an important tool for fast emission testing" (download the Eurofins PDF here)

Fraunhofer - Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut (WKI)

UK Building Research Establishment

CERTECH

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