Interlaboratory comparison for the characterization of a brazilian mussel reference material

Abstract

Bivalve mollusks have long been used in biomonitoring studies to assess seawater environmental status. The use of suitable certified reference materials is a straightforward means to attain quality assurance in such studies as they allow the traceability of measurement results, making it possible the comparison of data obtained at different places and periods of time. This paper describes the certification of element mass fractions for a Perna perna mussel reference material produced in Brazil. After homogeneity and stability studies, an interlaboratory comparison was performed for element characterization. Robust means were taken as assigned values and contributions due to element characterization and from homogeneity and stability studies were taken into account to yield expanded uncertainties. From the adopted certification criteria, informative values for 20 elements were obtained and it was possible to assign certified values for the following 16 elements: Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Se, Th and Zn.