There is a growing need for chemical analysis in order to support the administrative actions under the amended Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Control Act. This project aims to evaluate the current analytical methods, the potential capabilities for chemical analysis, and the availability of certified reference materials. Meanwhile, visiting certain industries was to investigate the patterns of chemical substances in use and to develop the screening methods as well as the laboratory analytical methods for the associated chemical substances in the samples taken from chemical facilities. The evaluated analytical methods include those of the Environmental Protection Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Health and Welfare. It was categorized into chemical substances and further classified by matrices, analytical instruments, and pretreatment methods, all together serving as a database of analytical methods for the toxic chemical substances. The potential capabilities for chemical analysis was evaluated based on the readiness of the quality assurance and quality control system along with the possession of the appropriate analytical instruments. A priority list of laboratories was suggested, which potentially can support sample screening. To promote more laboratories to get accredited, a review procedure towards a contract laboratory was drafted and pre-run by two laboratories. The review was designed to enhance the competency of the contract laboratory and speed up the process of getting accredited by the Environmental Protection Administration. Twenty facilities selected for visit were among those that handle toxic chemicals in processes associated daily commodities and thus was concerned in this project. During the visits, raw materials, products, or wastes were sampled as long as they were susceptible of the chemicals of concern. These concerned chemicals were such as phthalates, melamine, and a variety of pigments that are illegal food additives. Ten different methods of portable screening methods or test kits where available and twenty-four analytical methods were developed for the 250 samples. Results showed that heterogeneity of products containing toxic chemical substances may cause localized concentrations exceeding the regulatory levels while it should be right under the level in average. On the other hand, the concentrations were found to be underestimated by two orders of magnitude due to a low recovery in the pretreatment in some raw materials of a low purity of toxic chemicals, while they were supposed to be over the regulatory level. The visit of the factories was very informative and was recommended to conduct more in the future in order to get more practical insights that we should be aware of.

toxic substance, screening method, analytical capability inventory