CCQM-K43. As, Hg, Pb, Se and Methylmercury in Salmon. Final Report

CCQM-K43 was organised as a follow-up key comparison to the previous pilot study on tuna fish. CCQM-K43 was an activity of the Inorganic Analysis Working Group (IAWG) of CCQM and was coordinated by the Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM, Geel, Belgium) of the European Commission (EC). In CCQM-K43 the amount contents of As, Hg? Pb, Se and methulmercury (CH3Hg) in salmon (muscle and skin) were the measurands under investigation. Results were reported by 12 NMIs. During the CCQM-IAWG autumn meeting in Berlin, October 2005, it was agreed that in CCQM-K43 the KCRV is calculated as the mixture model median (MM-median) of all reported results. The reported results of the NMIs fall within a range of plus minus 5% for arsenic and of plus minus 2% for lead and mercury relative to the KCRV. For selenium the spread of all laboratories but one is plus minus 8%. Also, for methylmercury 4 of the 5 participating NMIs reported results within 4% deviation from the KCRV. The methods applied were isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) using sector field or quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS), external calibration using ICP-MS or atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and K0-neutron activation analysis (K0-NAA) were also used as analytical techniques. This report presents the participants' results in CCQM-K43 for all analytes under investigation. In Annex 1, the results with the KCRV, the equivalence statements and the results sorted according to analytical technique applied are presented. In Annex 2, the different approaches for methylmercury measurements are presented in moredetail. In Annex 3, the questionnaire data are presented. Annex 4 compiles all the CCQM-K43 information documents.

AREGBE Yetunde;  TAYLOR Philip; 

2006-09-22

INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS

JRC33992