Microplastics in cosmetic products
Synthetic polymers, thanks to their many useful properties, have found applications in nearly all areas of human activity. Over time, plastic products end up in the environment, where various physical and chemical processes degrade them into smaller particles. This results in solid, water-insoluble plastic particles — macroplastics (>5 mm), large microplastics (1–5 mm), and microplastics (1 µm – 1 mm), according to international standards.
Microplastics can be classified by polymer type (e.g., PE, PP, PVC) or by their origin. Primary microplastics are intentionally added to products (e.g., exfoliants in cosmetics), while secondary microplastics are formed by the breakdown of plastic products such as packaging.
Due to various additives, toxic substances, or pathogenic microorganisms they may carry, microplastics can have harmful effects on human health. Of particular concern are findings of microplastics in the lungs, blood, and breast milk.
In accordance with the new European regulation — Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, amending Annex XVII to REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 concerning synthetic polymer microparticles — the use of intentionally added microplastics in products, including cosmetics, has been restricted. The aim is to reduce their release into the environment by 30% by 2030. The regulation covers all insoluble synthetic polymer particles smaller than 5 mm that are resistant to degradation.
Accurate identification of the type, size, and quantity of microplastic particles is carried out using advanced techniques such as FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy.
In 2023, Sample Control Laboratory developed and accredited a method for the analysis of microplastics in cosmetics using Raman microscopy. In 2024, we further expanded our capacities by acquiring new equipment, enabling even faster and more detailed analysis.
With leading technology and accredited methods, our laboratory provides reliable and comprehensive microplastic analysis in cosmetic products.
Sample Control expands its services with state-of-the-art MALDI-TOF MS technology for microorganism identification.
Sample Control proudly announces the acquisition of a new MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight) mass spectrometer, enabling fast and precise identification of microorganisms. This cutting-edge technology represents a major advancement in laboratory diagnostics, providing clients with reliable results in record time.
Presence and contamination of meat with perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds
Perfluoroethyl compounds (PFAS) is a collective term for a very large group of fluorinated compounds, including oligomers and polymers, consisting of neutral and anion surface active compounds with high heat, chemical and biological inertness. Perfluorinated compounds are generally hydrophobic but also lipophobic and therefore will not accumulate in fat tissues as is usually the case with other persistent halogenated compounds. An important subgroup are (per) fluorinated organic surfactants, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane acid (PFOA). For PFOS and PFOA, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for humans of 150 ng/kg body weight and 1.5 μg/kg body weight per day (EFSA 2008).