Analysis of the 10 Substances Regulated by the RoHS Directive

In the European Union (EU), the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, which came into effect in October 2000, prohibits the inclusion of four substances—lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and hexavalent chromium (Cr6+)—in automotive parts and materials. As of July 2003, vehicles containing any of these substances cannot be exported to EU member states.

Under the RoHS Directive, which came into effect in July 2006, six substances—lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)—are restricted. Over time, the scope of applicable electrical and electronic equipment has been expanded, and manufacturers are now required to prepare an EU Declaration of Conformity to certify that these six substances are not present.

Furthermore, starting in 2019, four phthalate esters—DEHP, DBP, DIBP, and BBP—commonly used as plasticizers were added as new restricted substances. The scope of application was subsequently extended to medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices, and monitoring and control instruments, with enforcement taking effect on 22 July 2021.

Since both automobiles and electrical and electronic equipment use a wide variety of materials and substances, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to manage the absence of hazardous substances throughout the entire supply chain.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) specifies analytical methods for substances restricted under the revised RoHS Directive in electrical and electronic equipment, as defined in IEC 62321.

We provide data preparation services for the issuance of “Certificates of Non-Use of Environmentally Regulated Substances” for the automotive and electrical/electronic industries. Please feel free to contact us for requests, quotations, or inquiries regarding RoHS analysis of the 10 restricted substances, as well as any other requirements.

Examples of items subject to analysis:

　Electrical components, printed circuit boards, packaging materials, wiring, screws
　Auxiliary materials adhesive tapes, soldering materials, adhesives, wrapping paper, etc
　Instruction manuals printing inks
　Packaging materials used for shipping protection wooden frames, bags, cushioning materials, film wrap, cardboard, tapes, 　cable ties, labels, printing inks, paints, etc

Uses and Characteristics of Phthalate Esters

Colorless, transparent, oily organic compounds. There are many types.
Primarily used as plasticizers—additives that make plastics and rubber more flexible.
Also used as solvents, fragrance fixatives, and in various other products.

Product Applications

Resin products, cable coverings, packaging materials, rubber, tapes, films, sheets, rubber feet, O-rings, gaskets, conveyor belts, rollers, tubes, paints, inks, adhesives, coating agents, inks, fillers, and more.

Characteristics

・Additives can leach out from rubber or resin parts, a phenomenon known as “bleeding.” (The amount of bleeding depends on the quantity of additive and environmental conditions.)
・Phthalate esters are noted for concerns about migration contamination.

Key Points to Control (Examples)

1,Products containing plasticizers or flame retardants
2,Contamination incidents caused by phthalates migrating from tubes through which ink passes
3,Incidents where printed materials or inks themselves contain phthalates
4,Contamination incidents caused by phthalates migrating from process components such as rubber rollers that come into contact with products

Equipment for Measuring Regulated Substances and Thresholds

Regulated Substances	ELV (Threshold)	RoHS (Threshold)	Analysis Equipment	Lead Time (After Sample Arrival)
Cadmium (Cd)	100ppm	100ppm	Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)	7 business days
Lead (Pb)	1000ppm	1000ppm	Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)	7 business days
Mercury (Hg)	1000ppm	1000ppm	Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)	7 business days
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+)	1000ppm	1000ppm	UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (UV)	7 business days
4 substances (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr6+)	－	－	－	7 business days
Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
6 substances (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr6+, PBB, PBDE)	－	－	－	10 business days
Simplified Analysis (Cd, Pb, Hg, Total Cr, Total Br)	－	－	Semi-quantitative Analysis (EDX)	7 business days
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)	Not regulated	1000ppm	Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)	10 business days
10 substances (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr6+, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, DBP, DIBP, BBP)	－	－	－	10 business days

Pricing 　:Please request a separate quotation. Feel free to contact us.

Lead Time 　:May vary depending on resources, so please confirm in advance.

Remarks 　:Additional charges may apply if special pre-treatment is required.

Analysis Equipment

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)

◎Manufacturer: Shimadzu
◎Model: GCMS-QP2020 NX
◎Type: Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer

《Main Analysis Targets》

　Bromine (PBB, PBDE)
　Phthalate esters (DEHP, DBP, DIBP, BBP)

It is possible to separate and quantify each compound in a mixed sample

ICP Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES)

◎Agilent 5110 ICP-OES
◎Multi-type
◎Measurement wavelength range: 167–785 nm

《Main Analysis Targets》

　Three elements (Cd, Pb, Hg)

Trace element quantification in aqueous solutions is possible.
With pre-treatment such as acid digestion, trace element measurement in metals, plastics, and various materials is also possible.