Role of analytical physical chemistry in the implementation of REACH regulations

The REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) has been in force since 1 ^er June 2007, and from now on, no chemical product can be placed on the market unless it has been registered, evaluated and authorized or restricted by the European Chemicals Agency. All substances produced in quantities of more than one tonne per year are concerned, and a registration timetable envisages that around 40,000 products will be registered by 2018, with a schedule organized according to tonnage and estimated product risks.

The aim of this article is to show the extent to which analysis is involved in the proper functioning of the regulations, and the changes that this discipline must make to meet the demands necessary for the proper development of the chemical and related industries within the framework of sustainable development. The registration document must contain 14 physico-chemical data, but beyond this administrative document, physico-chemistry must be able to characterize substances in formulated products and articles, in working atmospheres, in the environment (air, water, soil) and to identify and measure metabolites, for toxicological and ecotoxicological studies.

It is in support of these two disciplines that the analytical challenges are greatest, to enable the identification of biomarkers and support the development of chemical and biochemical sensors, among other issues. Beyond the current regulations, physical chemistry must prepare itself for all the questions that will arise in the fields of polymers and nanostructures, which will eventually be involved. Finally, while the debate between science and society has benefited from the entry into force of the regulation, the precision of physical chemistry's characterizations makes it an essential tool for a more accurate vision of chemical risk assessment.