Heavy Metals Testing in Herbal & AYUSH Products
A single import alert for excess lead or mercury can shut a herbal exporter out of the EU or US market. Auriga Research provides NABL-accredited heavy metals testing in herbal and AYUSH products by ICP-MS — the gold-standard method for trace-level heavy-metal quantification in botanical matrices — detecting lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and extended toxic elements for Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha, and botanical-supplement products.
Our testing applies the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) limits, the Ministry of AYUSH requirements, the WHO Guidelines on Safety Monitoring of Herbal Medicines (2004) and the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2019–2023, FSSAI nutraceutical limits, and export-market specifications (EU, US FDA, Health Canada). As the first herbal testing laboratory in India to be licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H, backed by the Arbro Group's unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003, Auriga is a long-established reference lab for the AYUSH sector.
Classical Bhasma & Rasa Shastra preparations are assessed differently
For classical Ayurvedic preparations including Bhasmas and Rasa Shastra formulations, heavy-metal content is assessed under API-specific guidelines that differ from general herbal-extract limits — these products intentionally contain processed metals and minerals under the rasa shastra tradition. Applying general herbal or food-level limits to a classical Bhasma is incorrect. Contact us to confirm the applicable limits for your product category.
Heavy Metals Testing Parameters
Each element is mapped to its method and limit basis so AYUSH QA and export teams can match scope to the applicable API / WHO / destination-market standard at a glance.
Lead
Lead by ICP-MS — general herbal limit 10 ppm under the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API).
Arsenic
Arsenic by ICP-MS — general herbal limit 3 ppm (API), with inorganic-As speciation on request.
Cadmium
Cadmium by ICP-MS — general herbal limit 0.3 ppm (API).
Mercury
Mercury by ICP-MS / cold-vapour — general herbal limit 1 ppm (API).
Extended Toxic Panel
Chromium, nickel, and tin by ICP-MS for an extended toxic-element profile.
Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia
Limits applied by product category per the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.
WHO Herbal Guidelines
WHO Guidelines on Safety Monitoring of Herbal Medicines (2004) reference limits.
Export Limits
EU (e.g. 3 ppm Pb, 1 ppm Cd, 0.1 ppm Hg) and US FDA / Health Canada export-market limits.
Rasa Shastra / Bhasma
API-specific assessment for classical metallic-mineral preparations — distinct from general herbal limits.
As / Hg Speciation
Inorganic vs organic arsenic and mercury speciation where the regulatory basis requires it.
How It Works
Get a Quote
Share your product type and category (raw herb, extract, finished formulation, or classical Bhasma / Rasa Shastra), the regulatory target (AYUSH GMP, FSSAI, or export market), and the elements needed. Your dedicated SPOC confirms the testing scope, the correct limit basis for your category, and the exact sample quantity before you dispatch anything.
Send Your Sample
Dispatch your sample with a completed Test Request Form and a clear product-category description to the nearest Auriga lab. Each sample is individually bar coded and registered in YLIMS, Auriga's in-house Laboratory Information Management System, upon receipt. Testing begins within 24 hours of sample registration.
Testing and QA Review
Your sample is mineralised by validated microwave acid digestion and analysed by ICP-MS (with cold-vapour mercury and As / Hg speciation where required) by Auriga's scientific team. Every result is assessed against the applicable API / WHO / destination-market limit and passes a formal internal QA review and sign-off before the report is generated.
Receive Your NABL Report
Your NABL-accredited test report is delivered digitally within the committed turnaround time. Reports carry Auriga's NABL accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, state the product category and limit basis applied, and are accepted for Ministry of AYUSH GMP, FSSAI, and export-market submissions. You can track sample status in real time through YLIMS.
Turnaround Time
| Service | Standard TAT | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Standard panel — Pb, As, Cd, Hg by ICP-MS | 5–7 business days | Available |
| Extended panel — + Cr, Ni, Sn | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Arsenic / mercury speciation | 10–12 business days | On request |
| Bhasma / Rasa Shastra mineral preparation | 10–12 business days | On request |
| Export panel (destination-market limits) | 7–10 business days | Available |
Who Needs Heavy Metals Testing
- AYUSH-licensed manufacturers needing heavy-metals data for GMP compliance and product licensing.
- Classical Ayurvedic manufacturers (Bhasma, Rasa Shastra) needing API-category-correct assessment.
- Herbal supplement and extract exporters needing EU / US FDA pharmacopoeial compliance.
- Nutraceutical brands with botanical ingredients meeting FSSAI heavy-metal limits.
- Companies supplying to markets that require WHO-guideline conformity.
- Contract manufacturers and white-label suppliers certifying raw herbs and finished products.
- Herb growers and aggregators screening raw material from different growing regions.
- D2C and e-commerce Ayurvedic / herbal brands needing batch compliance for marketplace listing.
- Importers verifying herbal raw material before India sale or re-export.
- Brands contesting an import-alert or a marketplace heavy-metals finding with accredited data.
Why Auriga for Herbal Heavy Metals Testing
First herbal lab licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H
Auriga was the first herbal testing laboratory in India to be licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H — a long-established reference lab the AYUSH sector trusts.
Multiple ICP-MS instruments
Heavy metals run on ICP-MS — the gold-standard trace-level method — across multiple instruments, with the low detection limits EU and pharmacopoeial compliance demand.
Correct limit basis by product category
We apply API general, Bhasma-specific, WHO, FSSAI, or destination-market limits according to your actual product category — so a classical preparation is never wrongly judged against general herbal limits.
Speciation and digestion expertise
Validated microwave acid digestion of tough botanical and mineral matrices, with inorganic-As and Hg speciation where the regulatory basis requires it.
Export-market ready
Reports formatted for EU, US FDA, and Health Canada submissions alongside AYUSH GMP and FSSAI — supporting both domestic licensing and export compliance.
Arbro Group NABL accreditation since 2003
Two decades of continuous ISO/IEC 17025 conformity through the Arbro Group — the audit trail AYUSH manufacturers, exporters, and nutraceutical brands look for.