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Heavy metals and toxic elements

重金屬及有毒元素

Heavy metals found in Chinese medicines can originate naturally or be introduced through environmental pollution or during the processing stages (such as the use of containers that release heavy metals or the addition of heavy metal-containing excipients during preparation). The heavy metals with higher toxicity to the human body are Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), and Mercury (Hg). Prolonged intake of excessive amounts of heavy metals and toxic elements can potentially cause adverse effects on human health, for instance, impaired liver and kidney function, nervous system damage, and increased cancer risk.

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To ensure that Chinese medicinal materials comply with the limits set in Hong Kong, Chinese medicine retailers and wholesalers should maintain transaction records according to the Chinese Medicine Regulations (Cap. 549F of the Laws of Hong Kong) and the practice guidelines established by the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong. The accurate testing methods recognized by the Chinese Medicine Council under the Department of Health of Hong Kong for determining the content levels include:

  • Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)

  • Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

  • Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES)​​​​​​​​

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中醫藥中的重金屬可能源自於大自然，亦有可能被環境污染或在加工過程中引入（如在炮製時使用會釋出重金屬的容器或含重金屬的輔料而被污染），並累積於藥材內。當中對人體有較高毒性的為砷 (As)、鎘 (Cd)、鉛 (Pb)、汞 (Hg) 。長期攝入過量的重金屬和有毒元素可能會對人體健康造成不良影響，例如肝腎功能障礙、神經系統損害和可能致癌。

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為了確保中藥材符合香港的限量規定，中藥材零售商及批發商應按《中藥規例》(香港法例第549F章) 及香港中醫藥管理委員會制定的執業指引保存交易紀錄。香港衛生署轄下的中醫藥管理委員會認可的準確測定其含量的檢測方法包括：

  • 原子吸收光譜法 (AAS)

  • 電感耦合等離子體質譜法 (ICP-MS)

  • 電感耦合等離子體原子發射光譜法 (ICP-AES)​​​​​

​"Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards" 《香港中藥材標準》

Except for medicinal materials derived from minerals or where otherwise specified, the heavy metal content in medicinal material samples should comply with the heavy metal testing requirements and content limits established by the Chinese Medicine Council:

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除源於礦物的藥材或另有規定外，藥材樣品中重金屬應符合由中醫藥管委會制定的藥材的重金屬檢測要求和含量限度：

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With our sophisticated instruments, experienced chemists/microbiologists, and stringent QA/QC procedures, we assure that all the results reported by our laboratory are accurate and precise.

 

Enviro Labs Ltd. (ELL) uses the ICP-MS method for detection of most of the heavy metal and HOKLAS accreditation has been granted for most of the common toxic element tests. For details of the scope of accreditation, please refer to the HKAS website.

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配合我們先進的儀器、專業的化驗師/微生物化驗師及嚴緊的品管程序，所有分析結果的準確度及精密度都可以得到保證。

 

本化驗所主要採用 ICP-MS 的檢測方法，大部份的重金屬及有毒元素測試已獲得HOKLAS認可。有關之認可範圍，請參閱香港認可處網頁。

 

References 參考資料

1. "Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards": Appendix V Determination of Heavy Metals

. 《香港中藥材標準》：附錄五 重金屬檢定方法

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