Certification of the mass fractions of As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn and Zn in rye grass - Certified Reference Material ERM®-CD281

This report describes the preparation and certification of the rye grass Certified Reference Material (CRM) ERM-CD281. This CRM replaces the exhausted predecessor BCR-281. ERM-CD281 was processed and certified by the European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Geel, Belgium. Certification of the CRM included testing of the homogeneity and stability of the material as well as the characterisation using an intercomparison approach. ERM-CD281 has been certified for its content of As, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn and Zn. The main purpose of the material is to assess method performance, i.e. for checking accuracy of analytical results. As any reference material, it can also be used for control charts or validation studies.JRC.DG.D.2-Reference material

The Certification of the Mass Fractions of Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel and Lead in Fine Dust (PM10-like matrix) - Certified Reference Material ERM®-CZ120

This report describes the preparation and certification of the new Reference Material (CRM) ERM-CZ120, which is a PM10-like fine dust, certified for the elements arsenic, cadmium, nickel and lead. Certification of the CRM included testing of the homogeneity and stability of the material as well as the characterisation using an intercomparison approach. The main purpose of the material is to assess method performance, i.e. for checking accuracy of analytical results in the field of air quality control/measurement. As any reference material, it can also be used for control charts or validation studies.JRC.DG.D.2-Reference material

The Certification of the Mass Fractions of Selected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Fine Dust (PM10-like Matrix) - Certified Reference Material ERM®-CZ100

This report describes the preparation and certification of the new Reference Material (CRM) ERM-CZ100 PAHs in fine dust (PM10-like). Certification of the CRM included testing of the homogeneity and stability of the material as well as the characterisation using an intercomparison approach. ERM-CZ100 was certified for its content of benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and sum of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[j]fluoranthene. The main purpose of the material is to assess method performance, i.e. for checking accuracy of analytical results in the field of air quality assurance. As any reference material, it can also be used for control charts or validation studies.JRC.DG.D.2-Reference material

Development of Particulate Matter Certified Reference Materials (PM10 CRMs) - Final Report

The present report summarises the work carried out within the feasibility study devoted to the development of particulate matter certified reference materials (PM10 CRMs) at the RM Unit of IRMM. At present there is no suitable PM10 CRM certified for elements and/or PAHs. Therefore, this project was aimed at developing a CRM, which will play an active tool in the implementation of the Air Quality Framework Directive and its 1st and 4th Daughter Directives. In order to establish the target characteristics for the future PM10 CRMs, a meeting with experts in the field of air quality was organised. This report includes decisions made during that meeting.JRC.D.2-Reference material

Report of the Eighth Interlaboratory Comparison organised by the Community Reference Laboratory for Heavy Metals in Feed and Food - Total Cd, Pb, As, Hg and Sn and extractable Cd and Pb in Feed of Plant Origin

The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)of the Joint Research Centre, a Directorate General of the European Commission, operates the Community Reference Laboratory for Heavy Metals in Feed and Food (CRL-HM). One of its core tasks is to organise interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) among appointed National Reference Laboratories (NRLs). This report presents the results of the eighth ILC of the CRL-HM which focused on the determination of total Cd, Pb, As, Hg and Sn and extractable amounts of Cd and Pb in feed of plant origin following Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed. The test material used in this exercise was a candidate reference material, the matrix being rye grass. The material was relabelled and dispatched to the participants on the second half of October 2009. Each participant received approximately 10 g of test material. Thirty participants from 25 member states registered to the exercise of which 27 reported results for total Cd, Pb and Hg, 23 for extractable Pb, 22 for extractable Cd and for total As and 16 for total Sn. One laboratory did not report results due to a breakdown of the instrumentation, and one laboratory reported results only for Hg for the same reason. The assigned values (Xref) for total Cd, Pb, As, Hg and Sn were the candidate certified values as obtained during the certification. The assigned values for extractable Cd and Pb were provided by IRMM using isotope dilution-inductively coupled plass-mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS). Participants were invited to report the uncertainty of their measurements, which was provided by the majority of them. The laboratory performance was evaluated using z- end zeta-scores in accordance with ISO 13528. The standard deviation for proficiency assessment (also called target standard deviation), was fixed to 15% of the assigned values for all measurands on the basis of the outcome of previous ILCs organis.JRC.DDG.D.6-Food Safety and Qualit

The Certification of the Mass Fractions of As, Br, Cd, Cl, Cr, Hg, Pb, S and Sb and the Assignment of Indicative Values for Sn and Zn in Two Polyethylene Reference Materials, ERM-EC680k and ERM-EC681k

This report describes the preparation and certification of the polymer certified reference materials (CRM) ERM-EC680k and ERM-EC681k. They replace the exhausted predecessors, ERM-EC680 and ERM-EC681. The CRMs have been certified by the European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Geel, Belgium. The new CRMs have been certified for their content as As, Br, Cd, Cl, Cr, Hg, Pb, S, Sb and indicative values have been established for Sn and Zn. Additional information about acid digestible Cr is given.JRC.D.2-Reference material