Important Heavy Metals and their Maximum Quantities

Lead

Lead is one of the most important, poisonous heavy metals and is distributed via the atmosphere on a large scale as a metal and in compounds. It used to be added to petrol in large quantities as an antiknock agent. Nowadays, the significance of lead emissions is moving ever further into the background thanks to the use of non-leaded fuel. However, many smelting works continue to emit lead.

Maximum quantity for * food supplements: 3.0mg/kg
Maximum quantity for herbal medicines (Ph.Eur. 6.8): 5.0mg/kg

Cadmium

Another important heavy metal is cadmium, which is found in various alloys, sewage sludge, household waste, some fluorescent paints and fertilisers. In general, much lower quantities of cadmium are absorbed by the earth than lead. Cadmium mainly comes from air polluted by combustion gases and phosphate fertilisers, which have differing cadmium contents depending on origin.

Maximum quantity * for food supplements (apart from algae and seaweed): 1.0mg/kg
Maximum quantity * for food supplements containing algae and seaweed: 3.0mg/kg
Maximum quantity for herbal medicines (Ph.Eur. 6.8): 1.0mg/kg

Mercury

Mercury is mainly found in sewage sludge. It is poisonous in its compounds and as a metal. The relatively high vapour pressure of metallic mercury poses a danger. Organic mercury compounds are especially poisonous. For instance, methylmercury is formed through microbial conversion. This builds up inside fish and seafood and gets into the human organism through the food chain.

Maximum quantity * for food supplements: 0.10mg/kg
Maximum quantity for herbal medicines (Ph.Eur. 6.8): 0.1mg/kg

* Maximum quantities refer to the finished product. These have been binding since 1 July 2009 and comply with contaminant regulation (EC) no. 1881/2006.