USP-NF 〈232〉 Elemental Impurities—Limits Page 1 of 5

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〈232〉 ELEMENTAL IMPURITIES—LIMITS

INTRODUCTION
This chapter specifies limits for the amounts of elemental impurities in drug products. Regardless of the approach used,
compliance with the limits specified is required for all drug products unless otherwise specified in an individual monograph or
specifically excluded in this Introduction.
Elemental impurities include catalysts and environmental contaminants that may be present in drug substances, excipients, or
drug products. These impurities may occur naturally, be added intentionally, or be introduced inadvertently (e.g., by interactions with
processing equipment and the container–closure system). When elemental impurities are known to be present, have been added, or
have the potential for introduction, assurance of compliance to the specified levels is required. A risk-based control strategy may be
appropriate when analysts determine how to assure compliance with this standard. Due to the ubiquitous nature of arsenic,
cadmium, lead, and mercury, they (at the minimum) must be considered in the risk assessment.
This chapter does not apply to the following:
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Articles intended only for veterinary use
• Vaccines
• Cell metabolites
• DNA products

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• Allergenic extracts
• Cells, whole blood, cellular blood components, or blood derivatives, including plasma and plasma derivatives
• Products based on genes (gene therapy)
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• Cells (cell therapy)
• Tissue (tissue engineering)
• Dialysate solutions not intended for systemic circulation
• Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
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• Elements that are intentionally included in the drug product for therapeutic benefit
• Dietary supplements and their ingredients, which are addressed in Elemental Contaminants in Dietary Supplements 〈2232〉
The limits presented in this chapter do not apply to excipients and drug substances, except where specified in an individual
monograph. However, manufacturers of pharmaceutical products need certain information about the content of elemental impurities
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in drug substances or excipients in order to meet the criteria of this chapter. Drug product manufacturers can use elemental impurity
test data on components from tests performed by drug substance or excipient manufacturers, who may provide test data, or if
applicable, risk assessments. Elemental impurity data generated by a qualified supplier of drug product components are acceptable
for use by a drug product manufacturer to demonstrate compliance with this chapter in the final drug product. Drug substance or
excipient manufacturers who choose to perform a risk assessment must conduct that risk assessment using Table 2 in this chapter.
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Elements that are inherent in the nature of the material, as in the case of some naturally sourced materials, must be considered in
the risk assessment.

SPECIATION
The determination of the oxidation state, organic complex, or combination is termed “speciation”. Each of the elemental impurities
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has the potential to be present in differing oxidation or complexation states. However, arsenic and mercury are of particular concern
because of the differing toxicities of their inorganic and complexed organic forms.
The arsenic limits are based on the inorganic (most toxic) form. Arsenic can be measured using a total-arsenic procedure under
the assumption that all arsenic contained in the material under test is in the inorganic form. Where the limit is exceeded using a total-
arsenic procedure, it may be possible to show, via a procedure that quantifies the different forms, that the inorganic form meets the
specification.
The mercury limits are based upon the inorganic (2+) oxidation state. The methyl mercury form (most toxic) is rarely an issue for
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pharmaceuticals. Thus, the limit was established assuming the most common (mercuric) inorganic form. Limits for articles that have
the potential to contain methyl mercury (e.g., materials derived from fish) are to be provided in the monograph.

ROUTES OF EXPOSURE
The elements included in the tables below have been placed into three classes, based on their toxicity and likelihood of occurrence
in the drug product. The classification scheme is intended to focus the risk assessment on those elements that are the most toxic
but also have a reasonable probability of inclusion in the drug product (see Table 2).
The toxicity of an elemental impurity is related to its extent of exposure (bioavailability). The extent of exposure has been
determined for each of the elemental impurities of interest for three routes of administration: oral, parenteral, and inhalational. These

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limits are based on chronic exposure. Consider the oral permitted daily exposures (PDEs) in Table 1 as a starting point in developing
specific PDEs for other routes of administration, except where otherwise stated in the individual monograph.
[ NOTE— The routes of administration of drug products are defined in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms 〈1151〉.]

Change to read:

DRUG PRODUCTS
The limits described in the third through fifth columns of Table 1 are the base daily dose PDEs of the elemental impurities of
interest for a drug product taken by a patient according to the indicated routes of administration.

Parenteral Products
Parenteral drug products with maximum daily volumes up to 2 L may use the maximum daily volume to calculate permitted
concentrations from PDEs. For products whose daily volumes, as specified by labeling and/or established by clinical practice, may
exceed 2 L (e.g., saline, dextrose, and solutions for irrigation), a 2-L volume may be used to calculate permitted concentrations from
PDEs.

Table 1. Permitted Daily Exposures for Elemental Impurities

Parenteral PDE Inhalation PDE

Element Class Oral PDE (µg/day) (µg/day) (µg/day)

▲
Cadmium 1 5 2 3▲ (USP 1-Dec-2020)

Lead 1 5 5 5

Arsenic 1 15 15 2

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Mercury 1 30 3 1
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Cobalt 2A 50 5 3

Vanadium 2A 100 10 1
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Nickel 2A 200 20 5

Thallium 2B 8 8 8

Gold 2B 100 100 1

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Palladium 2B 100 10 1

Iridium 2B 100 10 1
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Osmium 2B 100 10 1

Rhodium 2B 100 10 1

Ruthenium 2B 100 10 1
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Selenium 2B 150 80 130

Silver 2B 150 10 7

Platinum 2B 100 10 1

Lithium 3 550 250 25

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Antimony 3 1200 90 20

Barium 3 1400 700 300

Molybdenum 3 3000 1500 10

Copper 3 3000 300 30

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Parenteral PDE Inhalation PDE

Element Class Oral PDE (µg/day) (µg/day) (µg/day)

Tin 3 6000 600 60

Chromium 3 11000 1100 3

Recommendations for Elements to Be Considered in the Risk Assessment

Table 2 identifies elemental impurities for inclusion in the risk assessment. This table can be applied to all sources of elemental
impurities in the drug product.

Table 2. Elements to Be Considered in the Risk Assessment

If Intentionally If Not Intentionally Added

Added (All
Element Class Routes) Oral Parenteral Inhalation

Cadmium 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Lead 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Arsenic 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes

Mercury 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes

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Cobalt 2A Yes Yes Yes Yes

Vanadium 2A Yes Yes Yes Yes

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Nickel 2A Yes Yes Yes Yes

Thallium 2B Yes No No No
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Gold 2B Yes No No No

Palladium 2B Yes No No No
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Iridium 2B Yes No No No

Osmium 2B Yes No No No

Rhodium 2B Yes No No No
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Ruthenium 2B Yes No No No

Selenium 2B Yes No No No
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Silver 2B Yes No No No

Platinum 2B Yes No No No

Lithium 3 Yes No Yes Yes

Antimony 3 Yes No Yes Yes

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Barium 3 Yes No No Yes

Molybdenum 3 Yes No No Yes

Copper 3 Yes No Yes Yes

Tin 3 Yes No No Yes

Chromium 3 Yes No No Yes

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Options for Demonstrating Compliance

DRUG PRODUCT ANALYSIS OPTION

The results obtained from the analysis of a typical dosage unit, scaled to a maximum daily dose, are compared with the daily
dose PDE.

Daily dose PDE ≥ measured value (µg/g) × maximum daily dose (g/day)
The measured amount of each impurity is NMT the daily dose PDE, unless otherwise stated in the individual monograph.

SUMMATION OPTION
Separately, add the amounts of each elemental impurity (in µg/g) present in each of the components of the drug product:

Daily dose PDE ≥ [ΣM1(CM × WM)] × DD

M = each ingredient used to manufacture a dosage unit

CM = element concentration in component (drug substance or excipient) (µg/g)

WM = weight of component in a dosage unit (g/dosage unit)

DD = number of units in the maximum daily dose (unit/day)

The result of the summation of each impurity is NMT the daily dose PDE, unless otherwise stated in the individual monograph.
Before products can be evaluated using this option, the manufacturer must ensure that additional elemental impurities cannot be
inadvertently added through the manufacturing process or via the container–closure system over the shelf life of the product.

INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT OPTION

For drug products with a daily dose of NMT 10 g, if all drug substances and excipients in a formulation meet the concentration

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limits shown in Table 3, then these components may be used in any proportion. No further calculation is necessary. Although
elemental impurities derived from the manufacturing process or the container–closure system are not specifically provided for in
the Individual Component Option, it is expected that the drug product manufacturer will ensure that these sources do not contribute
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significantly to the total content of elemental impurities.

Change to read:

DRUG SUBSTANCE AND EXCIPIENTS

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The acceptable levels of elemental impurities depend on the material's ultimate use. Therefore, manufacturers of pharmaceutical
products need certain information about the content of elemental impurities in drug substances or excipients in order to meet the
criteria of this chapter. Drug product manufacturers can use elemental impurity test data on components from tests performed by
drug substance manufacturers or excipient manufacturers, who may provide test data, or, if applicable, risk assessments. Elemental
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impurity data generated by a qualified supplier of drug product components are acceptable for use by a drug product manufacturer
to demonstrate compliance with this chapter in the final drug product. Drug substance or excipient manufacturers who choose to
perform a risk assessment must conduct that risk assessment using Table 2 in this chapter. Elements that are inherent in the nature
of the material, as in the case of some naturally sourced materials, must be considered in the risk assessment.
The values provided in Table 3 are example concentration limits for components (drug substances and excipients) of drug
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products dosed at a maximum daily dose of 10 g/day. These values serve as default concentration limits to aid discussions between
drug product manufacturers and the suppliers of the components of their drug products. [ NOTE— Individual components may need
to be limited at levels different from those in the table depending on monograph-specific mitigating factors.]

Table 3. Permitted Concentrations of Elemental Impurities for Individual Component Option

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Oral Concentration Parenteral Inhalation

Element Class (µg/g) Concentration (µg/g) Concentration (µg/g)

▲
Cadmium 1 0.5 0.2 0.3▲ (USP 1-Dec-2020)

Lead 1 0.5 0.5 0.5

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Arsenic 1 1.5 1.5 0.2

Mercury 1 3 0.3 0.1

Cobalt 2A 5 0.5 0.3

Vanadium 2A 10 1 0.1

Nickel 2A 20 2 0.5

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Oral Concentration Parenteral Inhalation

Element Class (µg/g) Concentration (µg/g) Concentration (µg/g)

Thallium 2B 0.8 0.8 0.8

Gold 2B 10 10 0.1

Palladium 2B 10 1 0.1

Iridium 2B 10 1 0.1

Osmium 2B 10 1 0.1

Rhodium 2B 10 1 0.1

Ruthenium 2B 10 1 0.1

Selenium 2B 15 8 13

Silver 2B 15 1 0.7

Platinum 2B 10 1 0.1

Lithium 3 55 25 2.5

Antimony 3 120 9 2

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Barium 3 140 70 30
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Molybdenum 3 300 150 1

Copper 3 300 30 3
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Tin 3 600 60 6

Chromium 3 1100 110 0.3

ANALYTICAL TESTING
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If, by process monitoring and supply-chain control, manufacturers can demonstrate compliance, then further testing may not be
needed. When testing is done to demonstrate compliance, proceed as directed in Elemental Impurities—Procedures 〈233〉.

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<232> ELEMENTAL IMPURITIES--LIMITS Kahkashan Zaidi GCCA2020 General Chapters - Chemical

Principal Scientific Liaison Analysis 2020
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Most Recently Appeared In:

Pharmacopeial Forum: Volume No. 45(5)

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