A System for the Preparation of Organohalogen Reference Materials with Marine Lipid Matrices

Abstract

Well characterized reference materials which closely resemble real biota, water, or sediment samples are useful in establishing the accuracy of analyses for trace levels of analytes in such natural samples. Natural samples, sometimes enriched by addition of specific analytes, have been used in studies to compare the accuracy of analyses done in different laboratories. Such inter-calibration studies have been reported recently for organochlorine compounds (Harvey et al, 1974; Holden, 1975; Horn and Pavlou, 1976) in various matrices (biological materials, waters, sediments). Similar studies are now being conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco, and by the National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Canada. The samples used in such studies have often not been generally available, particularly on a continuing basis after the completion of an intercalibration project.