Overview

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal element widely used in nickel-cadmium batteries, pigments (cadmium red, cadmium yellow), electroplating (cadmium plating), plastic stabilizers, and alloys. Cadmium exhibits chronic toxicity; long-term exposure can damage the kidneys, bones (causing Itai-itai disease), and the respiratory system, and it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Article 23 of Annex XVII of the EU REACH Regulation, the RoHS Directive, and regulations in various countries such as the United States and Japan all impose strict limits on cadmium content. Restrictions on cadmium are typically stricter than those on lead, and the cadmium limit in RoHS is only100 ppm(one-tenth of lead).

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Applicable Product Scope

Applicable Product and Service Categories

Cadmium content testing is applicable to the following products: electrical and electronic products (electroplated layers, solders, plastic components, pigments, etc.), jewelry (cadmium-containing alloys and cadmium coatings), toys and children's products (paint coatings, plastic components, metal components), plastic products (PVC stabilizers, colorants), ceramics and glassware (cadmium pigment glazes), food contact materials (ceramic glazes, enamel, plastics), coatings and paints (cadmium-based pigments). The EU REACH regulation restricts the cadmium content in plastics to0.01 %（100 ppm), applicable to all plastic materials. Certain cadmium pigments (such as cadmium yellow, cadmium red) are commonly found in brightly colored plastics and ceramics.

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Limit requirements

Technical Standards and Compliance Indicators

Cadmium content restriction requirements based on different regulations

Regulation/Standard	Scope of Control	Cadmium content limit
-----------	----------	------------
EU RoHS 2.0	Homogeneous materials of electronic and electrical products	100 ppm (0.01%)
Entry 23 of EU REACH Annex XVII	Plastic and polymer products	100 ppm (0.01%) (cadmium content by weight)
Entry 23 of EU REACH Annex XVII	Jewelry	0.01% (100 ppm)
Article 27 of Annex XVII of EU REACH	Metal fasteners / Imitation jewelry	0.01% (100 ppm) (e.g., effective from December 2011)
US CPSIA Section 106	Cadmium in Toys (ASTM F963 Standard)	See ASTM F963 migration limits
California Prop 65	Cadmium in consumer products	Warning label must be provided (NSRL is 0.05 µg/day)
EN 71-3	Toys (Migration limits, Category I dry materials)	1.3 mg/kg
EN 71-3	Toys (Migration limits, Category II liquid materials)	0.3 mg/kg
EN 71-3	Toys (Migration limits, Category III scraped-off materials)	17 mg/kg
EU 84/500/EEC	Ceramic Food Contact (Flatware)	0.07 mg/dm² (migration limit)
EU 84/500/EEC	Ceramic Food Contact (Small hollowware)	0.3 mg/L (migration limit)

Entry 23 of the REACH Regulation also lists several exemptions, allowing the cadmium content to exceed the limit in specific applications (such as certain safety color indication purposes, etc.), but the scope of the exemptions is limited.

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Test Methods and Standards

Core Testing Items and Parameters

Cadmium content testing methods are divided into two categories: total cadmium testing and cadmium migration testing.

I. Total Cadmium Content Test Reference StandardEN 1122:2001 (Determination of Cadmium in Plastics - Wet Digestion), IEC 62321-5 (Determination of Cadmium in Electrical and Electronic Products - Acid Digestion), CPSC-CH-E1001-08.3 (Metal Parts), CPSC-CH-E1002-08.3 (Non-metal Parts)

Testing ProcessAfter the sample is crushed, microwave digestion is performed using concentrated sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide (EN 1122 plastics method) or concentrated nitric acid + hydrogen peroxide (IEC 62321 general method). After dilution, the digested solution is quantitatively analyzed using ICP-OES, ICP-MS, or AAS. The detection limit is typically 2 to5 ppm。

II. Cadmium Migration Test Reference StandardEN 71-3 (Toys, extraction with 0.07 mol/L hydrochloric acid simulating gastric acid), 84/500/EEC (Ceramics,4 %soaked in acetic acid for 24 hours).

Testing ProcessThe sample is immersed in the extraction solution, and after extraction under specified conditions, the cadmium content in the extraction solution is determined using ICP-OES or ICP-MS.

III. XRF Rapid Screening XRF can be used to rapidly determine the approximate content of cadmium, which is suitable for large-batch screening. However, accurate analysis still requires chemical digestion methods.

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Certification Process

Complete steps from application to certification

Cadmium Content Compliance Testing Process
Step 1	Confirm the product's target market and applicable regulations (RoHS, REACH, EN 71-3, etc.).
Step 2	Disassemble the product to the homogeneous material level and identify components at high risk of containing cadmium (brightly colored plastics, electroplated metals, pigmented coatings, etc.).
Step 3	Take samples and send them to the laboratory for testing.
Step 4	Conduct total cadmium or migratable cadmium testing according to regulatory requirements.
Step 5	Determine compliance against the limit values.
Step 6	Issue the test report and incorporate it into the compliance documents.

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Required Information and Notes

List of Required Documents and Materials for Application

To apply for Cadmium content testing, the following information is required: Product name and model

List of components to be tested (specify material type and color)

Sample quantity (at least 5 to 10 grams for each material)

Description of applicable regulations. Note: Cadmium pigments (e.g., cadmium sulfide CdS) are commonly used in bright yellow.

Among orange and red plastic products, brightly colored plastics are high-risk materials for cadmium exceedance. Cadmium electroplated coatings (mainly used for corrosion protection) on metal fasteners

Commonly found in screws and electronic connectors, it is recommended to switch to zinc or zinc-nickel alloy plating. Cadmium in nickel-cadmium batteries is not restricted by RoHS (as it is not a plastic material), but waste nickel-cadmium batteries must be treated as hazardous waste. Cadmium content testing is a destructive test. For food contact materials, the cadmium migration limit is very low (0.07 mg/dm²), requiring special attention to the safety of ceramic glazes. The limit for cadmium in plastics under the REACH regulation is100 ppm, which is more widely applicable than the limits for other materials in RoHS. Cadmium-based stabilizers (such as Cd-Ba stabilizers) were previously used in PVC plastics, but have now been largely replaced by calcium-zinc or organotin stabilizers.

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Why Choose Anmai Testing for Cadmium Content Testing

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