Safety of Absorbent Hygiene Products - Testing for Trace Chemicals
A growing cause for concern
Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs) touch our most sensitive body parts and yet most of us do not think about the chemicals they could contain.
Consumers want reassurance that the products they use are safe. The identification of the presence of trace chemicals in AHPs means regulatory authorities and consumers are now taking a closer look at what is in diapers, feminine hygiene products and incontinence products.
SGS has worked closely with other stakeholders to ensure it has the latest testing solutions in place to help manufacturers supply safe, performant, and regulatorily compliant products to their customers all over the world.
Trace Chemical in Absorbent Hygiene Products: 2 SGS Approaches

Harsh Extraction
Intrinsic quantification
Useful for long-term monitoring
Can be used as a worst-case analysis for further toxicological assessments
Steps:
- Sampling materials
- Extraction by organic solvent or digestion
- Analytical measurements
Notes:
- Does not reflect real-life usage

EDANA NWSP 360 Series
Good combination of realistic conditions and deployable techniques to ensure the safety of AHPs while considering of all the elements of practicality, repeatability and reproducibility
Useful for toxicological assessment
Steps:
- Milled product or material (all sizes)
- Urine simulant extraction (1/50 wetting ratio)
- Incubation at body temperature
- Filtration
- Aqueous based analytical measurements
Safety of Absorbent Hygiene Products – Testing for Trace Chemicals
Comparing trace chemicals methods in absorbent hygiene products.
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Whatever substances are detected above our quantification limits, SGS can assist with toxicological expertise on request to assess the exposure, calculate the safety margins and write a report to conclude on the safety of the product.
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