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Pitzer ion activities in mixed electrolytes for calibration of ion-selective electrodes used in clinical chemistry

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Abstract

Metrological comparability as well as reliability of ion activity results measured with ion-selective electrodes (ISE) was investigated within the framework of an interlaboratory comparison between eight partners from national metrology institutes and expert laboratories. Two electrolyte solutions containing the clinically most relevant ions sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride having ion activities near the physiological range served as samples. The calibration of the measurement set-ups of the participants was carried out using gravimetrically prepared aqueous electrolyte solutions. The ion activities of these calibration standards were calculated by means of the semi-empirical Pitzer model. The measurement uncertainty of the measurement results was calculated according to the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement, GUM. Based on a new scale for ion activities traceable to the SI system of units, comparability and reliability of ISE measurement results of clinically relevant ions is realised.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been carried out in the framework of Work Package 3 of the EURAMET Joint Research Project T2/JRP10 “Traceable measurements for biospecies and ion activity in clinical chemistry”. The research within this EURAMET joint research project receives funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme, ERA-NET Plus, under grant agreement no. 217257.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Bundesallee 100, 38116, Braunscheig, Germany

    Frank Bastkowski, Petra Spitzer, Ralf Eberhardt & Beatrice Adel

  2. Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), Lindenweg 50, 3003, Bern-Wabern, Switzerland

    Samuel Wunderli, Daniel Berdat, Hanspeter Andres & Olivier Brunschwig

  3. Slovak Institute of Metrology (SMU), Karloveská 63, 842 55, Bratislava 4, Slovakia

    Michal Máriássy

  4. Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Campus Grüental, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland

    Roger Fehér & Caspar Demuth

  5. National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO), Santa Alexandrina St, 416 Rio Comprido, Rio de Janeiro, 20261-232, Brazil

    Fabiano Barbieri Gonzaga, Paulo Paschoal Borges & Wiler Batista da Silva Junior

  6. Ceský Metrologický Institut (CMI), Okružní 31, Brno, 638 00, Czech Republic

    Alena Vospělová & Martina Vičarová

  7. Environmental Research Training Center (ERTC), Technopolis. Klong 5, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Sirinapha Srithongtim

Authors
  1. Frank Bastkowski
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  2. Petra Spitzer
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  3. Ralf Eberhardt
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  4. Beatrice Adel
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  5. Samuel Wunderli
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  6. Daniel Berdat
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  7. Hanspeter Andres
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  8. Olivier Brunschwig
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  9. Michal Máriássy
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  10. Roger Fehér
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  11. Caspar Demuth
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  12. Fabiano Barbieri Gonzaga
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  13. Paulo Paschoal Borges
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  14. Wiler Batista da Silva Junior
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  15. Alena Vospělová
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  16. Martina Vičarová
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  17. Sirinapha Srithongtim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank Bastkowski.

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Bastkowski, F., Spitzer, P., Eberhardt, R. et al. Pitzer ion activities in mixed electrolytes for calibration of ion-selective electrodes used in clinical chemistry. Accred Qual Assur 18, 469–479 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-1016-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-1016-5

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