Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced an application note that illustrates the capabilities of its Icap 6200 ICP spectrometer for the analysis of toxic trace elements in children's toys.
The dual-view ICP instrument offers pre-optimised sample introduction settings and analysis-ready software method templates.
The application note, entitled 'Analysis of Migratory Elements in Toy Samples Using the Thermo Scientific Icap 6200 ICP Spectrometer', assesses the performance of the Icap 6200 ICP for the routine analysis of toy samples for consumer safety verification.
It is available for download from Thermo Fisher Scientific's website.
Manufacturers routinely analyse toy samples for toxic trace elements, but a number of recent cases of contaminated toys suggest that heavy metals are still present in consumer products.
This has resulted in an increasing number of toy producers opting to perform in-house testing to ensure compliance with current regulations and protect consumers.
For many, in-house testing can be less costly than outsourced analysis.
Today, many regulations worldwide are based on a test method that monitors the levels of trace elements migrating from a toy material into an acidic solution.
This simulates the release of elements when toy components are ingested by a child.
The application note details the analysis of three samples extracted from a toy car and a baby rattle, each prepared in accordance with ASTM F963-08 and EN71 Part Three.
The study utilised the Icap 6200's integrated Thermo Scientific iTeva software, which is supplied with pre-loaded method templates that enable protocol-compliant sample analysis in the environment, food safety, toy safety and WEEE/RoHS market sectors.
These templates, combined with the instrument's pre-optimised sample introduction system, enable simple, consistent out-of-the-box operation and offer novice and experienced ICP users good analytical performance with minimal method development requirements.
