CLA-2-29:OT:RR:NC:N1:140

Mr. Noah Sondov-Gold
Gold Biotechnology, Inc.
1328 Ashby Road
St. Louis, MO 63132

RE: The tariff classification of Various Chemical Compounds from China

Dear Mr. Sondov-Gold:

In your letter dated June 12, 2018 you requested a tariff classification ruling on five chemical products from China. You requested a binding tariff classification ruling on the following five products. You indicate they are all used for research at laboratories and universities. You provided the following information on the five items under review.

Item 1 5-ethynyl-2'deoxyuridine (5-EdU, CAS # 61135-33-9) is incorporated into DNA for the purpose of measuring cell division. The product is imported as a white to pale yellow powder. The product's country of origin is China.

Item 2 E-64 (trans-Epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butane, CAS # 66701-25-5) irreversibly inhibits cysteine proteases without affecting other enzymes that contain cysteine residues. E-64 is capable of inhibiting bromelain, trypsin, papain, staphopain, calpain, collagenase, ficain, cathepsin B, H and L. Inhibition of serine proteases is not seen with E-64, excepting trypsin. The product is imported as a white powder. The product's country of origin is China.

Item 3 Octylthioglucoside (n-Octyl-ß-D-thioglucopyranoside, CAS # 85618-21-9) is a nonionic detergent that has been used to isolate membrane proteins without inactivation. This product is effective in a variety of protein solubilization and cell lysis processes. Detergents of this nature are ideal when studying the conformation and structure of proteins because the secondary and tertiary structures remain intact. The product is imported as a white to off-white powder. The product's country of origin is China.

Item 4 DNase I (Deoxyribonuclease I, CAS # 9003-98-9) is a dialyzed lyophilized powder from bovine pancreas that has been purified by chromatography. Bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease (DNase) is an endonuclease, which splits phosphodiester linkages preferentially adjacent to a pyrimidine nucleotide yielding polynucleotides with a free hydroxyl group at the 3' position and a phosphate group at the 5' position. DNase I is activated by bivalent metals and inhibited by chelating agents such as EDTA and SDS. The product is imported as a white or almost white crystalline powder. The product's country of origin is China.

Item 5 Aztreonam (CAS # 78110-38-0) is a monobactam ß-lactam antibiotic whose structure contains only a single ring. Its unique ring structure makes it resistant to ß-lactamases. Aztreonam is effective against gram-negative bacteria and is an economical antibiotic commonly used in plant tissue culture applications and against P. aeruginosa. The product is imported as a white crystalline powder. The product's country of origin is China.

The applicable subheading for 5-ethynyl-2'deoxyuridine (5-EdU, CAS # 61135-33-9) will be 2934.99.3900, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: “Nucleic acids and their salts, whether or not chemically defined; other heterocyclic compounds: Other: Other: Aromatic or modified aromatic: Other: Other: Products described in additional U.S. note 3 to section VI.” The rate of duty will be 6.5 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for E-64 (trans-Epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butane, CAS # 66701-25-5) will be 2925.29.9000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: “Imines and their derivatives; salts thereof: Other: Other: Other.” The rate of duty will be 3.7 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for the Octylthioglucoside (n-Octyl-ß-D-thioglucopyranoside, CAS # 85618-21-9) will be 2932.99.9090, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: “Heterocyclic compound with oxygen hetero-atom(s) only: Other: Other: Other: Other.” The rate of duty will be 3.7 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for the DNase I (Deoxyribonuclease I, CAS # 9003-98-9) will be 3507.90.7000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for which provides for: “Enzymes; prepared enzymes not elsewhere specified or included: Other: Other.” The general rate of duty will be free.

The applicable subheading for the Aztreonam (CAS # 78110-38-0) will be 2941.90.5000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: "Antibiotics: Other: Other: Other." The rate of duty will be free.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on the World Wide Web at https://hts.usitc.gov/current.

These products may be subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and/or The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (The Bioterrorism Act), which are administered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Information on the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as The Bioterrorism Act, can be obtained by calling the FDA at 1-888-463-6332, or by visiting their website at www.fda.gov.

This merchandise may be subject to the requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which are administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Information on the TSCA can be obtained by contacting the EPA at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Code 70480, Washington, D.C., by telephone at (202) 554-1404, or by visiting their website at www.epa.gov.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Paul Hodgkiss at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Steven A. Mack
Director
National Commodity Specialist Division