INTRODUCTION

National and international legislation prohibits the use of any inorganic and organic mercury compounds as an ingredient in cosmetics (including creams, soaps, lotions, shampoos, lipsticks, nail varnishes, makeup removers). An exception is made only for thiomersal (thimerosal) and phenylmercury salts (acetates, benzoates, borates) – preservatives used in eye makeup and eye makeup removal products. In other certified cosmetics, mercury occurs in trace amounts. Extremely high levels of mercury have been found in illegally and semi-legally produced lightening creams and soaps. Lumex Instruments propose the procedure of direct analysis of cosmetic products without sample pre-treatment and intermediate steps using RA-915 series mercury analyzers based on atomic absorption spectroscopy with Zeeman correction of the background absorption (ZAAS).