In 2022, a European buyer received 20 tons of “TCCA 90%” that tested at 78% chlorine — a US$4,000 loss on one container. The seller had used a template MSDS with fake batch numbers. This guide teaches you to spot fake documents in 60 seconds.
1. What Documents Should Every Shipment Include?
- MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) — GHS format, 16 sections
- COA (Certificate of Analysis) — batch-specific chemistry test results
- PSI (Pre-Shipment Inspection Report) — third-party, optional but recommended
- Certificate of Origin — from CCPIT (China) or equivalent
- Fumigation certificate — for wooden pallets, ISPM-15 compliant
- Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form — required for DGR shipment
2. What a Real MSDS Contains (GHS Format)
| Section | Must Include | Red Flag If Missing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Product ID | Product name, CAS, UN number, manufacturer | Missing manufacturer address |
| 2. Hazards | GHS pictograms (oxidizer flame) | No pictograms shown |
| 3. Composition | Chemical name, CAS, % | %CAS listed as “confidential” |
| 4. First Aid | Skin/eye/ingestion/inhalation | Generic wording, no chemistry-specific |
| 5. Fire | Extinguishers, incompatibles | Says “CO2 alone” (wrong) |
| 6. Accidental Release | PPE, containment, cleanup | Generic language |
| 7. Handling & Storage | Temperature, humidity limits | No specific numbers |
| 8. Exposure Controls | TWA/STEL limits, PPE spec | No occupational exposure limits |
| 9. Physical Properties | Melt, boil, density, pH, solubility | Missing or copy-paste from other chemical |
| 10. Stability | Incompatibles, decomposition products | Doesn’t mention ammonium salts |
| 11. Toxicology | LD50 rat, LC50 fish | All values marked “not available” |
| 12. Ecological | Biodegradability, aquatic toxicity | Blank section |
| 13. Disposal | Local regulation reference | Says “throw away” |
| 14. Transport | UN 2465/2468, Class 5.1, PG II/III | Wrong UN number |
| 15. Regulatory | REACH, TSCA, DSL, IECSC status | Doesn’t reference regulations for your market |
| 16. Other | Revision date, preparer | Revision > 2 years old |
3. What a Real COA Contains
- Batch number — must match on drum label, MSDS, and manifest
- Production date + expiry — TCCA 2 years, SDIC 3 years max
- Available chlorine % — SDIC 56-60%, TCCA ≥ 90%
- Moisture content — SDIC ≤ 4%, TCCA ≤ 0.5%
- pH of 1% solution — SDIC 6.0-7.0, TCCA 2.7-3.5
- Insoluble matter — ≤ 0.2%
- Bulk density — SDIC 0.9-1.0, TCCA 0.8-0.95 g/ml
- Heavy metals — Pb, As, Hg individual ≤ 5 ppm
- Test method reference — GB, ISO, or EN standard
- Tester signature + date — real name, not “QC Manager”
4. Red Flags of Fake Documents
- MSDS with same revision date as your shipment date (real docs revised 1-3 years earlier)
- COA with round numbers only (90%, 60%) — real batches vary 88.5%, 59.3%
- Batch number not on drum labels or different formats
- Test methods reference nonexistent standards (e.g., “ISO 12345”)
- Company letterhead pixelated (screenshot pasted)
- English translation errors that don’t match Chinese source
- Missing tester’s actual name (says only “QC Team”)
- Same COA used for multiple shipments (compare batch numbers)
5. How to Verify
- Request pre-shipment SGS or Intertek inspection (~US$200-500 per container)
- Sample retention: keep 500g of every shipment in sealed drum for 24 months
- DPD field test: measure chlorine on arrival within 24 hours
- Cross-verify batch number: manifest, COA, MSDS, drum labels all must match
- Test 1% solution pH at your dock — instant validation
6. Case: How Buyer Caught a Fake COA
A South African importer ordered 20 tons SDIC. The COA showed “Available chlorine: 60.0%”. Suspicious of the round number, the buyer ran DPD on-site:
- Result: 47% active chlorine
- Confronted supplier with photo evidence + video
- Supplier: “test error”
- Buyer: sent 200g to SGS Cape Town
- SGS result: 47.3% — 12.7 percentage points below spec
- Outcome: 50% refund + free replacement shipment; supplier permanently blacklisted
7. FAQ
Q: Should I pay for third-party SGS inspection?
A: Yes for orders > US$5,000 or first-time suppliers. Cost is 0.5-1% of order value, saves 100% loss risk.
Q: How long should I keep sample retention?
A: 24 months minimum (matches supplier’s own retention). Enables retest if problems emerge later.
Q: Are Chinese GB standards accepted internationally?
A: Widely accepted for chemistry parameters. Some markets (USA, EU) also require ISO 11138 or ISO 3696 references.
All Shilan Shipments Include Real Documentation
Every Shilan Chemical shipment ships with batch-specific COA (SGS-verified format), full 16-section GHS MSDS in your language, and open invitation for SGS/Intertek pre-shipment inspection. See our documentation package →