METHOD- CPSC-CH-E1003-09

Standard Operating Procedure for Determining Lead (Pb) in Paint and Other
Similar Surface Coatings

This method is used to determine lead content in paints and surface coatings applied to components of children’s products and furniture. This method is also used to test for lead in other coatings, such as household paints. TTL Laboratories maintains ISO 17025 accreditation for, and is also a CPSC-accepted laboratory to perform this test. The sample is scraped off of the underlying substrate, then digested in an acid solution. Component paints supplied in liquid form are fully dried, until a constant weight is achieved, prior to digestion. The digested samples are then analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES, also known as ICP-AES or Atomic Emission Spectrometry) or Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), to determine the amount of lead present. The results are then calculated and compared to the CPSIA limit of 90 ppm of lead for paints and surface coating materials.

For more information regarding CPSIA Lead testing, click here.