IEC 62321 (Test Methods for RoHS Substances)

IEC 62321 is the international standard series specifying test methods for determining the concentrations of restricted substances in EEE, developed by IEC Technical Committee 111 (Environmental standardization for electrical and electronic products). The series covers: IEC 62321-1 (Introduction and Overview); IEC 62321-2 (Disassembly, disjointment, and mechanical sample preparation); IEC 62321-3 (Screening for lead, mercury, cadmium, total chromium, total bromine — XRF); IEC 62321-4 (Mercury by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS); IEC 62321-5 (Cadmium, lead, total chromium by AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS); IEC 62321-6 (Polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers by GC-MS); IEC 62321-7-1 (Hexavalent chromium in polymer and electronics by colorimetric method); IEC 62321-7-2 (Hexavalent chromium in solid materials); IEC 62321-8 (Phthalates by GC-MS).

IEC 62321 series (various parts, IEC TC 111); EN IEC 63000:2018 references IEC 62321 for testing.

IEC 62321 test methods are referenced in EN IEC 63000:2018 and accepted by market surveillance authorities as the basis for substance determination. XRF (X-ray fluorescence, IEC 62321-3) screening is the most cost-effective first-pass test and does not require sample destruction; it can screen for total elemental content of Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr, and Br. Confirmation testing by ICP-OES, ICP-MS, or GC-MS is required when XRF results are above or near limits. GC-MS (IEC 62321-8) is required for phthalate determination as XRF cannot detect organic compounds.