comprehensive range of XRF systems and reference standards enable industry to meet the challenges set by the new EU RoHS and WEEE directives and to monitor levels of regulated substances covered by other important environmental legislation such as ELV (End-of-Life vehicles directive) and the EU packaging directive (EPD) as well as emerging legislations in other parts of the world.
From 1 July this year, new electrical and electronic equipment that contain more than the agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants will be banned from the EU.
These measures impact on manufacturers around the world and affect a wide range of products - from computers and telecommunications equipment, to domestic appliances and electronic tools, toys and automatic dispensers.
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) has emerged as a most cost-effective solution for compliance analysis.
Within a broad product portfolio, Panalytical offers a range of systems and a complete solution to support industry in their efforts.
Products include the EDXRF benchtop MiniPal 4 system for quick pre-screening, the polarised EDXRF spectrometer Epsilon 5 for the low-level determination of heavy metals and the Axios range of advanced WDXRF systems for precise quantitative analysis of bulk raw materials in process and quality control applications.
The company also offers TOXEL, a set of certified calibration standards for the analysis of toxic metals in polyethylene.
While legislation is not prescriptive about analytical methods, responses to EU consultations during the framing of its new directives - and submissions from industry bodies - are enthusiastic about the use of the XRF technique.
The IEC Committee has already identified the effectiveness of XRF for the qualitative and quantitative screening of Cd, Pb, Hg, Br and Cr in homogeneous materials.