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Eingeladener Vortrag
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The quantification of the sulphur mass fraction in pure copper and copper alloys by GDMS and LA-ICP-MS revealed a lack of traceability mainly due to a lack of suitable certified reference materials for calibrating the instruments. Within this study GDMS and LA-ICP-MS were applied as routine analytical tools to quantify sulphur in copper samples by applying reference materials as calibrators, which were characterized for their sulphur mass fraction by IDMS beforehand. Different external calibration strategies were applied including a matrix cross type calibration. Both techniques with all calibration strategies were validated by using certified reference materials (others than those used for calibration) and good agreement with the reference values was achieved except for the matrix cross type calibration, for which the agreement was slightly worse. All measurement results were accompanied by an uncertainty statement. For GDMS, the relative expanded (k = 2) measurement uncertainty ranged from 3% to 7%, while for LA-ICP-MS it ranged from 11% to 33% when applying matrix-matched calibration in the sulphur mass fraction range between 25 mg kg-1 and 1300 mg kg-1. For cross-type calibration the relative expanded (k = 2) measurement uncertainty need to be increased to at least 12% for GDMS and to at least 54% for LA-ICP-MS to yield metrological compatibility with the reference values. The so obtained measurement results are traceable to the international system of units (SI) via IDMS reference values, which is clearly illustrated by the unbroken chain of calibrations in the metrological traceability scheme.
Isotope reference materials
(2022)
The variation of isotope ratios is increasingly used to unravel natural and technical questions. In the past, the investigation and interpretation of such variations was the field of a limited number of experts. With new upcoming techniques and research topics in the last decades, such as provenance or food authenticity studies, the number of published isotope data strongly increased. Instrumental developments such as the enhancement of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) from an instrument for simple quantitative analysis to highly sophisticated isotope ratio machines influenced this process significantly. While in former times only experts in mass spectrometry were able to produce reliable isotope data, nowadays many laboratories, never been in touch with mass spectrometry before, produce isotope data with an ICP-MS. Isotope reference materials (iCRM) are indispensable to enable a reliable method validation or in rare cases even SI-traceability. The fast development and the broad availability of ICP-MS also lead to an expansion of the classical research areas and new elements are under investigation. Irrespective of the investigated element or the knowledge of the user all isotope ratio applications require reference materials either for correction of instrumental isotope fractionation, for method validation or to provide a common accepted basis as needed for delta measurements. This presentation will outline the basic principles and illustrate the urgent need for new iCRMs. Consequently, the production and certification of iCRMs will be discussed and illustrated by examples of already completed certification projects. Finally, plans for future iCRMs to be produced at BAM will be presented.
The need for quality assessment of anthropogenic impact on environmental pollution is increasing due to discharge from various industries, the use of chemicals in agriculture and the consumption of fossil fuels. Diminishing resources such as natural waters used for the cultivation of agricultural products, plant and animal habitats are under severe pollution pressure and are at constant risk. Several parameters, such as Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg were listed by Water Framework Directive in Directive(2008/105/EC) in the priority substances. Cadmium and Hg were identified as priority hazardous substances whereas As is an important contaminant for its potential toxicological and carcinogenic effects. An inter-comparison study is organised in EURAMET TC-MC in order to demonstrate the capability participants for measuring five elements in river water. The participants carried out measurements for analytes: Pb, Cd, Ni and As as mandatory elements, and Se as an optional one. Participants were asked to perform the measurements with respect to the protocol provided. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.
The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
CCQM-K143 is a key comparison that assesses participants’ ability to prepare single element calibration solutions. Preparing calibration solutions properly is the cornerstone of establishing a traceability link to the International System of Units (SI), and therefore should be tested in order to confirm the validity of CCQM comparisons of more complex materials. CCQM-K143 consisted of participants each preparing a single copper calibration solution at 10 g/kg copper mass fraction and shipping 10 bottled aliquots of that solution to the coordinating laboratory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The masses and mass fraction for the prepared solutions were documented with the submitted samples.
The solutions prepared by all participants were measured at NIST by high performance inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (HP-ICP-OES). The intensity measurements for copper were not mapped onto values of mass fraction via calibration. Instead, ratios were computed between the measurements for copper and simultaneous measurements for manganese, the internal standard, and all subsequent data reductions, including the computation of the KCRV and the degrees of equivalence, were based on these ratios. Other than for two participants whose measurement results appeared to suffer
from calculation or preparation errors, all unilateral degrees of equivalence showed that the measured values did not differ significantly from the KCRV. These results were confirmed by a second set of ICP-OES measurements performed by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). CCQM-K143 showed that participants are capable of preparing calibration solutions starting from high purity, assayed copper metal.
Similar steps are involved when preparing solutions for other elements, so it seems safe to infer that similar capabilities should prevail when preparing many different, single-element solutions.
This presentation provides a short introduction to the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW). It describes the role of the Commission and provides an insight into its work and the corresponding principal tasks. Finally, it provides the reader with the latest achievements and with the most recent publications.
Accurate and precise isotope ratio measurements of heavy elements are playing an increasinglyimportant role in modern analytical sciences and have numerous applications. Today, isotope ratio measurements are typically performed with two principal techniques: thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). To obtain accurate results by mass spectrometry, isotopic certified reference materials (iCRMs) are needed for mass bias correction and for the validation of the method used for analysis.Thus, it is of paramount importance to achieve measurement comparability of all data reported, and to assess measurement capability of each CRM producer/National Metrology Institute (NMI). Therefore, the international comparison (CCQM-P213) was performed to assess the analytical capabilities of NMIs for the accurate determination of copper isotope ratio delta values in high purity materials. The study was proposed by the coordinating laboratories, National Research Council Canada (NRC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), as an activity of the Isotope Ratio Working Group (IRWG) of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance - Metrology in Chemistry and Biology (CCQM). Participants included six NMIs and one designated institute (DI) from the six countries. Although no measurement method was prescribed by the coordinating laboratories, MC-ICP-MS with either standard-sample bracketing (SSB) or combined SSB with internal normalization (C-SSBIN) models for mass bias correction were recommended. Results obtained from the six NMIs and one DI were in good agreement.
Polyethylene (PE) frits were used to quantify sulphur in copper and its alloys by isotope dilution combined with LA-ICP-MS as an alternative approach to conventional sample preparation: the copper samples were spiked, the spiked samples were dissolved, the resulting solutions were absorbed in the PE frits and finally the PE frits were analysed by LA-ICP-MS. A prerequisite for such a support material is a low sulphur blank and thus PE was selected for this purpose. The absorption efficiency of the PE frits was studied for varying sulphur amounts ranging from 2 mg S to 80 mg S showing that more than 99.5% of the loaded sulphur was absorbed by the frit. The so prepared PE frits were measured by LA-ICP-MS and yielded a good linearity (R2 ¼ 0.999) for the sulphur ion intensities corresponding to sulphur amounts up to 40 mg S; the associated sensitivity is approximately 3.4 x 10⁴ cps μg⁻¹ for ³²S. For the validation of the developed procedure the reference materials BAM-M376a, BAM-228 and BAM-227 were applied such that 2 μg S, 5 μg S and 11 μg S were absorbed in the PE frits, respectively. These samples were pre-quantified for the adsorbed sulphur amount by external calibration LA-ICP-MS yielding sulphur amounts of 0.9 μg, 5.1 μg and 8.5 μg (quantified for ³²S only), respectively. Relative Standard deviations of the isotope ratios were below 5% in average (n ¼ 3 lines) in all cases (except for the pure spike solution). These samples were then analysed by LA-ICP-IDMS and the measurement results were validated by comparing them with the results obtained by conventional ICP-IDMS. The obtained relative expanded measurement uncertainties ranged between 10% and 26%. Pearson's coefficient was used to express the correlation between both techniques; the obtained value was 0.999 demonstrating a strong correlation. Contrary to most published LA-ICP-IDMS procedures, the developed procedure enables SI-traceability for the measurement results. The metrological traceability to the SI for the sulphur mass fractions in copper was established by an unbroken chain of comparisons, each accompanied by an uncertainty budget. Thus, the measurement results are considered reliable, acceptable and comparable within the stated measurement uncertainty. The metrological traceability chain from the kg down to mass fraction in the samples obtained by LA-ICP-IDMS is presented as well.
The continuous improvement of analytical procedures using multi-collector technologies in ICP-mass spectrometry has led to an increased demand for isotope standards with improved homogeneity and reduced measurement uncertainty. For magnesium, this has led to a variety of available standards with different quality levels ranging from artefact standards to isotope reference materials certified for absolute isotope ratios. This required an intercalibration of all standards and reference materials, which we present in this interlaboratory comparison study. The materials Cambridge1, DSM3, ERMAE143, ERM-AE144, ERM-AE145, IRMM-009 and NIST SRM 980 were cross-calibrated with expanded measurement uncertainties (95% confidence level) of less than 0.030‰ for the δ25/24Mg values and less than 0.037‰ for the δ26/24Mg values. Thus, comparability of all magnesium isotope delta (δ) measurements based on these standards and reference materials is established. Further, ERM-AE143 anchors all magnesium δ-scales to absolute isotope ratios and therefore establishes SI traceability, here traceability to the SI base unit mole. This applies especially to the DSM3 scale, which is proposed to be maintained. With ERM-AE144 and ERM-AE145, which are product and educt of a sublimation-condensation process, for the first time a set of isotope reference materials is available with a published value for the apparent triple isotope fractionation exponent θapp, the fractionation relationship ln α(25/24Mg)/ln α(26/24Mg).
The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) organised an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) for the characterisation of 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios in limestone (IAG/CGL ML-3) and Penrhyn slate (IAG OU-6) reference materials by applying the conventional method for 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios. Samples were sent to thirteen analytical laboratories . Since both samples are powdered, rock materials, dissolution of the sample and Sr isolation via ion exchange chromatography were mandatory. This was done using acid, microwave/acid, bomb/acid digestion or borate fusion and subsequent isolation of Sr by means of commercially available ion exchange resins. In this study, we present and discuss the potential effects that differences between laboratories, and between two instrumental measurement techniques (i.e., MC-ICP-MS and MC-TIMS), may have upon the dispersion of measurement results of the 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio in the two aforementioned reference materials. We used a statistical mixed effects model to assess the potential effects of both the laboratory and the measurement technique. Consensus values for both materials and associated standard uncertainties {(IAG/CGL ML-3 (0.708245±0.000004) mol/mol; IAG OU-6 (0.729769±0.000008) mol/mol} were estimated by fitting a linear, Gaussian mixed effects model (Pinheiro and Bates 2000) using the R function “lmer” defined in package “lme4”. The statistical results showed that there is no significant effect attributable to differences between instrumental techniques when both materials are considered together, or separately. The p-value of the test of significance of the measurement technique effect is greater than 0.54. For both materials there were statistically significant effects attributable to differences between laboratories when the measurement results for both materials were considered together and separately. This effect is less than 0.00004 in absolute value. However, for neither material did consideration or disregard for such differences induce significant changes in the estimate of the consensus value for the 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio. Therefore, the effects attributable to differences between instrumental techniques or between laboratories can safely be disregarded when computing the best estimate for the true value of 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio in these materials, by the community of expert laboratories represented in this study.