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REVIEW ARTICLE

Recent advances in contaminant analysis in Coptidis rhizoma

Kexue Xia1,2*
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1 School of Chinese Materia Medica, Chongqing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing , China
2 Department of Chinese Materia Medica, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing , China
IMO, 026330061 https://doi.org/10.36922/IMO026330061
Received: 11 August 2026 | Revised: 15 September 2026 | Accepted: 16 September 2026 | Published online: 15 October 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Given the clinical and international significance of Coptidis rhizoma, contaminant analysis is essential to meet evolving quality and safety requirements. This review summarizes research on pesticide residues, heavy metals, and emerging contaminants in Coptidis rhizoma. For pesticide residues, chromatography–mass spectrometry methods have been adopted for regulatory testing. For heavy metals, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is widely used. However, regulatory limits and standardized detection methods for emerging contaminants in Coptidis rhizoma remain lacking. Overall, analytical advances have improved monitoring, but gaps remain in method harmonization, regulatory limits, and comprehensive risk assessment. Future efforts should focus on standardized multi-contaminant analytical platforms, science-based limits, international harmonization, and integrated risk assessment to support the quality, safety, and global competitiveness of Coptidis rhizoma.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Coptidis rhizoma
Contaminant analysis
Pesticide residues
Heavy metals
Emerging contaminants
Funding
The Science and Technology Research Program of the Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. KJQN202315141, KJQN202400483) provided financial support for this work.
Conflict of interest
The author declares no competing interests.
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