Contribution to the certification of B, Cd, Cu, Mg and Pb in a synthetic water sample, by use of isotope-dilution ICP–MS, for Comparison 12 of the International Measurement Evaluation Programme

Abstract.

The contribution of the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements to the certification of the B, Cd, Cu, Mg, and Pb content of a synthetic water sample used in Comparison 12 of the International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP-12) is described. The aim of the IMEP programme is to demonstrate objectively the degree of equivalence and quality of chemical measurements of individual laboratories on the international scene by comparing them with reference ranges traceable to the SI (Système International d'Unités). IMEP is organized in support of European Union policies and helps to improve the traceability of values produced by field chemical measurement laboratories. The analytical procedure used to establish the reference values for the B, Cd, Cu, Mg, and Pb content of the IMEP-12 sample is based on inductively coupled plasma–isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (ICP–IDMS) applied as a primary method of measurement. The measurements performed for the IMEP-12 study are described in detail. Focus is on the element boron, which is particularly difficult to analyze by ICP–MS because of potential problems of low sensitivity, high mass discrimination, memory effects, and abundance sensitivity. For each of the certified amount contents presented here a total uncertainty budget was calculated using the method of propagation of uncertainties according to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and Eurachem guidelines. For all investigated elements with concentrations in the low µg kg^–1 and mg kg^–1 range (corresponding to pmol kg^–1 to the high µmol kg^–1 level), SI-traceable reference values with relative expanded uncertainties (k=2) of less than 2 % were obtained.