Metals & Minerals
Trace amounts of metals are in just about everything; they occur naturally and enter the supply chain at various control points.
The amount of metals allowed products is regulated, and that allowable limit keeps getting lower.
We offer low detection levels and metals speciation to support accurate results for managing metals.
Industries and products we test for metals:
- Water
- Cannabis/ Hemp (seed to sale)
- Powdered Supplements
- Botanical ingredients
- Food ingredients
- Extracts
- Final Products
Heavy Metals & Minerals
Using ICPMS and OCPMS we quantify more than 20 metals and minerals. Reports are Prop 65 compliant.
- Aluminum
- Antimony
- Arsenic
- Barium
- Beryllium
- Boron
- Cadmium
- Calcium
- Chromium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iron
- Lead
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Mercury
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Selenium
- Silver
- Sodium
- Sulfur
- Thallium
- Tin
- Vanadium
- Zinc
Metals Speciation - Arsenic
| Arsenic Speciation by HPLC-ICP-MS Arsenate {As(V)}, Arsenite {As(III)} Inorganic Arsenic |
FDA 4.11 |
There are two different forms of arsenic: organic and inorganic- and Columbia Labs tests for both. Inorganic arsenic is highly toxic and is therefore a public health concern; the organic form (commonly found in fish and seafood) is less harmful.
The main source of exposure to inorganic arsenic is food; particularly grain-based processed products such as wheat bread, rice, milk, dairy products, and drinking water.
Columbia’s Nutritional Testing team recommends measuring total arsenic first, then if the level exceeds or pushes the limit, follow up with the speciation analysis to determine if the inorganic arsenic is above or below their internal quality limits.
No limits are set in EU for food in general, but, a maximum level for arsenic in rice has been set by the UN food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, at 0.2 mg per kg.
For more information about Arsenic Testing, and Inorganic Arsenic Speciation, please email: info@columbialaboratories.com