TY - JOUR A1 - van de Kreeke, Johannes A1 - de la Calle, B. A1 - Held, A. A1 - Bercaru, O. A1 - Ricci, M. A1 - Shegunova, P. A1 - Taylor, P. T1 - IMEP-23: The eight EU-WFD priority PAHs in water in the presence of humic acid JF - Trends in analytical chemistry N2 - Recently, the International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP) organized an interlaboratory comparison on total concentrations of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in natural inland waters. It was carried out in support to the European Union Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD) that lists these eight as priority substances. As sample matrix, we used groundwater spiked with humic acid as a model for the colloidal substances that are present in natural inland waters. Humic substances can adsorb PAHs, but we found that some laboratories did not apply analytical procedures that sufficiently accounted for this. One of these laboratories was involved in establishing the reference values. We show how this impacted on the reliability of their measurements. Many participants accepted our invitation to report their measurement uncertainties. We assessed their results against our reference values and uncertainties, and provided z and zeta scores. Although the overall measurement capability appears satisfactory, there is room for improvement of analytical procedures as regards the use of measurement standards. KW - Dissolved organic matter (DOM) KW - Humic substance KW - Interlaboratory comparison (ILC) KW - Internal standard KW - International measurement evaluation programme (IMEP) KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) KW - Reference value KW - Uncertainty KW - Water KW - Water framework directive (WFD) PY - 2010 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2010.04.009 SN - 0165-9936 SN - 0703-7147 VL - 29 IS - 8 SP - 928 EP - 937 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-21865 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Baer, I. A1 - van de Kreeke, Johannes A1 - Linsinger, T.P.J. A1 - Robouch, P. A1 - Raposo, F.C. A1 - de la Calle, B. T1 - IMEP-24 analysis of eight trace elements in toys JF - Trends in analytical chemistry N2 - The International Measurement Evaluation Program (IMEP) organized the IMEP-24 interlaboratory comparison after reports in the media about high levels of lead in toys. The aim of this comparison was to verify the laboratories' capacity to evaluate trace-element levels in a possible toy-like material according to the European Standard EN 71-3:1994. As test material, it used a former certified reference material containing levels of antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead and selenium around the limits set in the standard. Four expert laboratories confirmed the reference values (Xref) for all elements but Hg, and established a reference value for Hg. The scatter of the results reported by the participants was large, as expected, but showed a close to normal distribution around the reference values for five of the eight trace elements. The spread of results was mainly attributed to sampling and sample preparation. One major issue observed in this exercise was the lack of legislative rules about how to report the result, or, more specifically, the use of the analytical correction, which was introduced in EN 71-3:1994 to achieve consistent interpretation of results and which is to be applied when values are equal to or above the maximum limits set in the standard. Its application by the participants was very inconsistent and led to problems in their evaluation. There is clearly a need for clarification and for more formal regulations with regard to result reporting in order to minimize the risk of confusion. Participants were also asked to give their opinion with regard to the acceptability of the test material for the market. The majority correctly considered the material as non-compliant. However, almost one-third incorrectly assessed the material as compliant. KW - Analytical correction KW - European Standard EN 71-3:1994 KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - International Measurement Evaluation Program (IMEP) KW - Lead in toys KW - Toy safety KW - Trace element PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2010.09.007 SN - 0165-9936 SN - 0703-7147 VL - 30 IS - 2 SP - 313 EP - 323 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-23862 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cordeiro, F. A1 - Llorente-Mirandes, T. A1 - López-Sánchez, J.F. A1 - Rubio, R. A1 - Sánchez-Agullo, A. A1 - Raber, G. A1 - Scharf, Holger A1 - Vélez, D. A1 - Devesa, V. A1 - Fiamegos, Y. A1 - Emteborg, H. A1 - Seghers, J. A1 - Robouch, P. A1 - De la Calle, M.B. T1 - Determination of total cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury and inorganic arsenic in mushrooms: outcome of IMEP-116 and IMEP-39 JF - Food additives & contaminants / A N2 - The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), a Directorate General of the European Commission, operates the International Measurement Evaluation Program (IMEP). IMEP organises inter-laboratory comparisons in support of European Union policies. This paper presents the results of two proficiency tests (PTs): IMEP-116 and IMEP-39, organised for the determination of total Cd, Pb, As, Hg and inorganic As (iAs) in mushrooms. Participation in IMEP-116 was restricted to National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) officially appointed by national authorities in European Union member states. IMEP-39 was open to all other laboratories wishing to participate. Thirty-seven participants from 25 countries reported results in IMEP-116, and 62 laboratories from 36 countries reported for the IMEP-39 study. Both PTs were organised in support to Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006, which sets the maximum levels for certain contaminants in food. The test item used in both PTs was a blend of mushrooms of the variety shiitake (Lentinula edodes). Five laboratories, with demonstrated measurement capability in the field, provided results to establish the assigned values (Xref). The standard uncertainties associated to the assigned values (uref) were calculated by combining the uncertainty of the characterisation (uchar) with a contribution for homogeneity (ubb) and for stability (ust), whilst uchar was calculated following ISO 13528. Laboratory results were rated with z- and zeta (ζ)-scores in accordance with ISO 13528. The standard deviation for proficiency assessment, σp, ranged from 10% to 20% depending on the analyte. The percentage of satisfactory z-scores ranged from 81% (iAs) to 97% (total Cd) in IMEP-116 and from 64% (iAs) to 84% (total Hg) in IMEP-39. KW - Inorganic arsenic KW - Trace elements KW - Mushrooms KW - Proficiency test PY - 2015 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-326092 DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2014.966336 SN - 1944-0057 SN - 1944-0049 VL - 32 IS - 1 SP - 54 EP - 67 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-32609 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -