Tell us a little bit about your sample and someone will be in touch.
Run on the TEA, the technology built for nitrosamine detection.
One result, all nitrosamines present
A single ppb-level value covering total nitrosamine content in your sample.
7 day turnaround
From the day we receive your sample to the day you get your result.
No instrument, no method development
Send your sample. We run it in-house, using the same TEA technology and ATNC method we work with every day.
Why ATNC testing matters
ATNC is a recognised technique for total nitrosamine screening, used across industries wherever nitrosamine formation needs to be assessed. It gives a single result covering the nitrosamine group as a whole, including compounds you have not specified in advance.
Nitrosamine limits differ by industry. Cosmetics work to a 50 µg/kg cap under EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, pharmaceutical teams screen ahead of ICH M7 targeted analysis, and rubber, elastomer, and food producers assess their own nitrosamine risks.
In each case, the question is the same: is nitrosamine formation happening at all, and does it need a closer look. ATNC screening answers that in one result, without requiring you to know which specific compound you are looking for.
How ATNC screening works
Your sample is sealed and heated
This releases nitric oxide from any nitrosamines present in the sample.
The TEA is the detector technology Ellutia built to respond selectively to nitrosamines and other nitrogen-oxide compounds.
The TEA ignores everything else in the sample
There is no background signal from the rest of the matrix, so the result reflects nitrosamine content, not noise.
The output is a single total nitrosamine value
This is the number reported in your result, in parts per billion (ppb).
Run using the TEA, the detector technology Ellutia built to respond selectively to nitrosamines and other nitrogen-oxide compounds.
It is already trusted by pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers including Astech Pharma Korea, Sanofi, Clariant, L'Oréal, and Baxter Health.
What's included
We screen your sample in-house on the TEA, using the ATNC method we work with every day. Your result is a single total nitrosamine value, in ppb, covering the whole nitrosamine group, including compounds you have not specified in advance.
If your result comes back above the relevant limit for your industry, you have two ways to take it further. GC-TEA can identify which individual nitrosamines are present, rather than the combined total. Your ATNC result also includes nitrite and nitrate, the precursors that contribute to that combined figure, and for certain sample types we can remove them and give you a nitrosamine-only number instead.
Nitrite and Nitrate
ATNC stands for Apparent Total Nitrosamine Content, and the word "apparent" is deliberate. The standard reaction responds to nitrite and nitrate, the precursors that form nitrosamines, as well as to nitrosamines already present. That's why the result you receive combines both signals into one total, rather than reporting them separately.
For most samples, that is exactly the point. It means your result reflects the total nitrosamine content a product could ever reach, not just what is measurable on the day of testing.
For some sample types, high nitrite or nitrate content can make that combined figure harder to interpret on its own. We've developed a separate confirmatory method that removes the nitrite and nitrate response for certain sample types. This gives you a nitrosamine-only figure alongside your ATNC result. This is something we'll talk through when you request your quote.
How it works
Request a quote
Tell us about your sample: what it is, your industry, how many samples, and when you need results.
We confirm price and turnaround
Someone from our team will discuss your sample and confirm pricing. Pricing depends on your sample matrix and how much preparation it needs.
Package and send your sample
Pack it securely and post it to us. We'll confirm the exact address and any handling notes for your sample type when we send your quote.
Get your result
A single ATNC value covering nitrosamines and their nitrite and nitrate precursors, typically within 7 days of us receiving your sample.
Other ways to test for nitrosamines
Not every nitrosamine question needs this service. Here are three other routes, depending on what you're trying to do.
Want to run ATNC testing yourself?
The ATNA automates the ATNC method in your own lab, processing up to 10 samples an hour with overnight unattended runs. It's the better fit if you're screening regularly rather than sending occasional samples to us.
Need to identify specific nitrosamines?
GC-TEA separates and identifies individual compounds such as NDMA and NDEA, rather than reporting a single group value. It's the right choice if you need to know exactly which nitrosamine is present, not just whether one is.
Testing air, rather than a product or material?
ThermoSorb-N is our airborne nitrosamine sampling cartridge, designed to capture nitrosamines from the air rather than from a product or material. It has its own dedicated analysis service for used cartridges.
Get a price for your sample
Tell us what you're testing and we'll come back with a quote and a turnaround time. Requesting a quote costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and your sample composition stays confidential throughout.
Run on the TEA, the technology built for nitrosamine detection.
Frequently Asked Questions
ATNC stands for Apparent Total Nitrosamine Content. It is a screening method that gives a single value for total nitrosamine content in a sample, rather than identifying each compound separately. You do not need to know which nitrosamine you are looking for in advance.
The standard reaction also responds to nitrite and nitrate, the precursors that react to form nitrosamines, alongside any nitrosamines already present. See the "Nitrite and Nitrate" section above for what this means for your result and when a nitrosamine-only figure is available.
For certain sample types, yes. Ellutia has developed a separate confirmatory method that removes the nitrite and nitrate response, giving a nitrosamine-only figure. Ask when you request your quote to check whether it applies to your sample type.
No. Tell us about your sample and we'll come back with a price. There is no obligation to proceed.
Yes. We use your sample only to produce your result. We do not share or retain details of your formulation beyond that.
We can test solid dose pharmaceutical products, creams, lotions, shampoos, rubber and elastomer materials, and food ingredients such as malt. Sample preparation depends on the matrix. Tell us what you're sending in the quote form and we'll confirm suitability before you post anything.
No. ATNC screening responds to the nitrosamine group as a whole, so it detects unexpected or unstandardised compounds alongside known ones like NDMA. You don't need to specify a compound in advance.
You have two options. GC-TEA can identify which individual nitrosamines are present, rather than the combined total. Your ATNC result also includes nitrite and nitrate, and for certain sample types we can remove their contribution to give you a nitrosamine-only figure as well.
Pricing depends on your sample matrix and how much preparation it needs before it can be screened. A shampoo, a tablet, and a rubber sample don't prepare the same way. A quote lets us price it accurately rather than over charging simple samples to cover complex ones.
Yes. We accept samples from anywhere in the world.
Once we receive your sample, results typically take 7 days. Someone from our team will be in touch after you request a quote to confirm pricing and next steps.
