Final report on international comparison CCQM-K74: Nitrogen dioxide, 10 µmol/mol

There is a high international priority attached to activities which reduce NOx in the atmosphere. The current level of permitted emissions is typically between 50 µmol/mol and 100 µmol/mol, but lower values are expected in the future. Currently, ambient air quality monitoring regulations also require the measurement of NOx mole fractions as low as 0.2 µmol/mol. The production of accurate standards at these levels of mole fractions requires either dilution of a stable higher concentration gas standard or production by a dynamic technique, for example one based on permeation tubes. The CCQM-K74 key comparison was designed to evaluate the level of comparability of National Metrology Institutes' measurement capabilities and standards for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at a nominal mole fraction of 10 µmol/mol. The measurements of this key comparison took place from June 2009 to May 2010. Seventeen laboratories took part in this comparison coordinated by the BIPM and VSL. The key comparison reference value was based on BIPM measurement results, and the standard measurement uncertainty of the reference value was 0.042 µmol/mol. This key comparison demonstrated that the results of the majority of the participants agreed within limits of ±3% relative to the reference value. The results of only one laboratory lay significantly outside these limits. Likewise this comparison made clear that a full interpretation of the results of the comparison needed to take into account the presence of nitric acid (in the range 100 nmol/mol to 350 nmol/mol) in the cylinders circulated as part of the comparison, as well as the possible presence of nitric acid in the primary standards used by participating laboratories

International comparison CCQM-K76 : sulfur dioxide in nitrogen

85 p. : il.This Key Comparison is designed to test the capabilities of the participants to measure and certify sulfur dioxide in nitrogen, and will provide supporting evidence for the CMCs of institutes for sulfur dioxide. Also, as sulfur dioxide is designated a core compound, and the 100 μmol/mol concentration is within the designated core compound concentration range, this comparison is also designed to demonstrate core capabilities of institutes which qualify under the rules of the Gas Analysis Working Group

International comparison CCQM K52: carbon dioxide in synthetic air

61 p. : il.The first key comparison on carbon dioxide in nitrogen dates from 1993-1994 (CCQM-K1b) [1]. It is in fact one of the first types of gas mixtures that was used in an international (key) comparison. Since then, numerous National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) have been setting up facilities for gas analysis, and have developed claims for their Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) for these mixtures. Also, in 2003 a comparison (CCQM-P41 [2, 3]) was carried out between NMIs and WMO laboratories for the determination of greenhouse gases showing a good overall agreement between the participants. In the April 2005 meeting of the CCQM Gas Analysis Working Group, a policy was proposed to repeat key comparisons for stable mixtures every 10 years. Consequently, this comparison is consistent with the proposed policy and enables NMIs that could not participate in the previous comparison to take part. This report describes the results of a key comparison for carbon dioxide in synthetic air (oxygen + nitrogen). The amount–of–substance fraction level of carbon dioxide chosen for this key comparison (360 μmol/mol) represents the ambient level of this component in air. This key comparison aims to support CMC-claims for carbon dioxide in both nitrogen or air (synthetic and purified) from 100 μmol/mol to 20 cmol/mol