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Certified Reference Materials for Speciation Analysis
Certified reference materials are a major tool for laboratories to monitor the performance of their analyical work. Similarly to other measurement fields, speciation analysis requires the availability of suitable reference materials for the purpose of verification of accuracy and quality assurance needs.
Measurements that represented a major brealthrough in speciation
science were those that had a link with identified toxicity risks,
namely the determination of methylmercury in biological tissues
(Minamata) and organotins in environmental matrices (oysters in the bay
of Arcachon). Public awareness was associated with expressed needs from
the laboratories with respect to quality control tools, and
organisations such as the National Institute for Environmental
Sciences, NIES (Japan) and the National Research Council, NRCC
(Canada) started work on the organisation of interlaboratory comparison
studies for these compounds during the 1980s. In the late 1980s (1988
and after) the European Commission, through the BCR
program, also launched a series of projects aimed at the improvement of
the quality of speciation measurements for chemical forms of Al, As,
Hg, Pb, Se and Se in various biological and environmental matrices,
along with extractable forms of trace metals in soils and sediments.
Resulting from these combined efforts, today a couple of certified
reference materials are commercially available that at least serve as
a good starting point for the quality control and development of
speciation analysis.
The following table summarizes the availability of different materials (for extractable forms see the column "others"):
| Matrix
|
Hg
|
As
|
Sn
|
Cr |
Se |
Pb |
others
|
Aqueous solution
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Natural water |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sea water |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sediment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Soil
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sewage sludge
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Air particulate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Plant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Fish
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mussel, Oyster
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Food supplement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Urine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Serum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whole blood
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hair
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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* green boxes for available materials, dark blue boxes for non-available materials.
For more details click on the related green box.  Related Information (European Reference Materials' application notes) IRMM: Comparison of a measurement result with the certified value
IRMM: Using reference materials to establish traceability IRMM: Use of ERM certificates and materials EURACHEM: Guide on the selection and use of reference materials EVISA Company Database: Producers of CRMs EVISA Material Database: CRMs News related to CRMs EVISA News, September 28, 2009: New Beryllium Reference Material for Occupational Safety Monitoring EVISA News, September 10, 2009: Speciation Analysis - Striving for Quality
EVISA News, February 3, 2o009: New Reference Material for Hexavalent Chromium in Contaminated Soil EVISA News, November 15, 2005: NIST/EPA/NJ DEP embark on the preparation of a soil reference materials for chromium speciation EVISA News, August 2, 2005: New CRM for Selenomethionine in yeast developed by NRC Canada is now on the market EVISA News, May 6, 2004: Reference materials producers launch new European initiativelast time modified: November 24, 2009
  
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