Certified sediment reference materials for trace element analysis from the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)

Two types of sediment reference material (NMIJ 7302-a and 7303-a) for trace elements analysis have been prepared and certified by the National Metrology Institute of Japan in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NMIJ/AIST). The original materials were collected from a bay near industrial activity in Kyushu (NMIJ CRM 7302-a; marine sediment) and from Lake Biwa (NMIJ CRM 7303-a; lake sediment). The sediment materials were air-dried, sieved, homogenized, packaged in 1000 glass bottles (60 g each), and radiation sterilized. Certification of these CRM for trace elements was conducted by NMIJ, where each element was determined by at least two independent analytical techniques. Isotope-dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) was applied for certification of all the elements except mono-nuclide elements such as As and Co. Other techniques such as ICP–MS with quadrupole mass spectrometry and sector-field mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES), and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), were also used. Certified values have been provided for 14 elements (Sb, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, Sn, and Zn) in both CRM.     

Sample preparation and analytical methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large category of ubiquitous persistent environmental pollutants, some of them have strong carcinogenicity to human and animals. These pollutants can easily enter the river through multiple ways including rainfall, dry deposition and water washout, and deposit in the sediment. However, it is easy for them to re-enter the river water and pollute water sources, as well as aquatic animals and plants, bringing potential harm to human health. Therefore, it is requisite to accurately analyze the PAHs in sediment. In this review, the analytical methods of PAHs in sediment, focused on the methods of sample extraction, purification, concentration and determination, are summarized.     

Preparation of a reference mussel tissue material for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace metals determination

Due to high cost of certified reference materials (CRMs), reference materials (RMs) are preferred to check the method performance in environmental analysis. In this work, a laboratory reference material (LRM) was prepared and characterised to carry out the quality control in monitoring analysis of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nine trace metals in mussel tissue. Mussels were collected in a naturally polluted area. Before the reference material was bottled, the mussel tissue was stabilised by freeze-drying, ground and sieved. For the material characterisation, several statistical tests were applied to check the homogeneity of the analytes in the tissue, and a stability test was performed to study the effect of the storage temperature in the analyte concentration. Other characteristics such as specific density, moisture and lipid contents as well as particle size distribution of the material were determined. Although the LRM had a homogeneous distribution for all PAHs and almost all metals, the stability study showed different results at both storage temperatures studied. For both PAHs and trace metals, the material was suitable to assure the quality control of the analysis.     

Preparation and certification of two freshwater sediments certified reference materials for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Two freshwater sediments certified reference materials (CRMs) for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been developed by the Institute for Environmental Reference Materials (IERM) of Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) in China. The methodology for preparing the CRMs of PAHs in sediments is described in this paper. The collected natural sediment samples were air-dried, ground, homogenised, packed, sterilised and tested on stability and homogeneity. Homogeneity results showed that the between-unit variation was confirmed to be below 4.5% for each compound. Stability was assessed after storage of samples for 16 months at temperature less than 30°C and in shade. The certification of the natural sediment matrix CRMs for PAHs was based on the agreement of results using different analytical techniques including gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) by no less than eight collaborating laboratories including IERM. Results of the homogeneity showed that the calculated u_bb′ was 0.9–2.5% for environmental river standard-4 (ERS-4) and 9–2.3% for environmental lake standard-1 (ELS-1), whereas stability results of total 16 PAHs indicated that the calculated u_rel,lts was 4.2% for ERS-4 and 2.2% for ELS-1. Certified values of 16 PAHs in ERS-4 varied from 8.5 to 167 μg/kg and ranged from 0.036 to 2.8 mg/kg in ELS-1.The good comparability, together with the independent confirmation of the assigned mass fraction by using different methods, confirmed that the CRMs are suitable for the method validation and quality control in soil or sediments analysis.     

Alkaline extraction in combination with microwave-assisted extraction followed by solid-phase extraction treatment for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a sediment sample

Microwave-assisted extraction using 1 M KOH/methanol (alkaline-MAE) in combination with solid-phase extraction treatment was developed and applied to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a sediment sample. Although various conditions were examined (100 or 150 °C for 10 or 30 min), comparable concentrations of PAHs to those obtained by conventional extraction with 1 M KOH/methanol at 70 °C for 4 h were obtained, even at 100 °C for 10 min. The concentrations obtained by using MeOH at 150 °C for 30 min without KOH were lower (by 1.3-37%) than those obtained by alkaline-MAE at 150 °C for 30 min. Since the developed technique can introduce higher concentration of benzo[ghi]perylene relative to those using pressurized liquid extraction (toluene, 150 °C, 15 MPa, 10 min, two cycles), the developed alkaline-MAE is a effective technique.     

Sediment certified reference materials for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides from the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)

Two marine sediment certified reference materials, NMIJ CRM 7304-a and 7305-a, have been issued by the National Metrology Institute of Japan in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NMIJ/AIST) for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The raw materials of the CRMs were collected from a bay near industrial activity in Japan. Characterization of these CRMs was conducted by NMIJ, where the sediments were analyzed using multiple analytical methods such as pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), saponification, Soxhlet extraction, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and ultrasonic extraction; the target compounds were determined by one of the primary methods of measurements, isotope dilution–mass spectrometry (ID-MS). Certified values have been provided for 14 PCB congeners (PCB numbers 3, 15, 28, 31, 70, 101, 105, 138, 153, 170, 180, 194, 206, 209) and 4 OCPs (γ-HCH, 4,4′-DDT, 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDD) in both CRMs. NMIJ CRM 7304-a has concentrations of the contaminants that are a factor of 2–15 greater than in CRM 7305-a. Both CRMs have information values for PCB homolog concentrations determined by collaborative analysis using a Japanese official method for determination of PCBs. The total PCB concentrations in the CRMs are approximately 920 and 86 μg kg⁻¹ dry mass respectively. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Matrix certified reference materials for environmental monitoring from the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)

Matrix certified reference materials (CRMs) are playing an increasingly important role in environmental monitoring in Japan. The National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)/National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has been developing matrix CRMs for environmental monitoring since 2001, and has issued nine kinds of CRMs as NMIJ CRMs. The development of the CRMs was conducted in NMIJ in cooperation with candidate material producers. The isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) was principally adopted to give reliable certified values. Meanwhile, two or more analytical methods, whose levels of accuracy were well evaluated, were applied to avoid any possible analytical bias. Two typical certification processes, the certification of river water CRMs for trace element analysis and that of marine sediment CRMs for PCB and organochlorine pesticide analysis, are outlined as examples. Presented at -- “BERM-10” -- April 2006, Charleston, SC, USA.     

Certified calibration solution reference material for the determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate from the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)

A new calibration solution reference material for the determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate anion (PFOS) and its salts has been issued as a certified reference material (CRM) by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NMIJ/AIST). The purity amount-of-substance fraction of raw material potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate (K-PFOS) was evaluated based on the results obtained using the freezing point depression method, and the purity mass fraction of the raw material was calculated using the average molar mass of impurities, the molar mass of K-PFOS, and the purity amount-of-substance fraction. The certified concentration of this CRM was obtained by multiplying the dilution ratio of the raw material in a prepared solution (methanol) determined from the gravimetric blending method by the purity of the raw material. The preparation concentration of K-PFOS as a certified value of NMIJ CRM 4220-a was determined to be 9.93?mg?kg^?1. In addition, the standard uncertainty of the certified value was evaluated from the purity evaluation as well as from sample inhomogeneity, instability, and preparation variation obtained from LC/MS measurements of different gravimetrically prepared solutions of the NMIJ CRM. Consequently, the expanded uncertainty was estimated to be 0.15?mg?kg^?1 with a coverage factor k?=?2 corresponding to the half-width of estimated confidence interval of approximately 95%.     

Accurate quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dust samples using microwave-assisted solvent extraction combined with isotope-dilution mass spectrometry

For accurate quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in dust samples, we investigated the use of microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MAE) combined with isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) using deuterium-labelled PAHs (D-PAHs). Although MAE with a methanol/toluene mixture (1:3 by volume) at 160 °C for 40 min was best for extracting PAHs from tunnel dust among examined, the recovery yields of D-PAHs decreased with increasing molecular weight (<40% for MW ≥ 264; that of deuterium-labelled indeno[123-cd]pyrene (D-IcdP) was only 7.1%). Although the residues were extracted a second time, the observed concentrations did not change dramatically (<5%), and the recovery yields of heavier D-PAHs (i.e., MW ≥ 264) were approximately half of those of the first extract, including D-IcdP (3.4%). These results suggest that both partitioning and isotopic equilibria of PAHs and D-PAHs between sample and solvent were achieved for extractable heavier PAHs under the condition. Thus, the observed concentrations of PAHs obtained by MAE–IDMS were reasonable, even though recovery yields of D-PAHs were <50%. From the results of carbon analyses and extractable contents, lower recovery yields of D-PAHs from the tunnel dust were due to a large content of char with low extractable contents.     

Certified reference materials for inorganic and organic contaminants in environmental matrices

Chemical measurements often constitute the basis for informed decision-making at different levels in society; sound decision-making is possible only if the quality of the data used is uncompromised. To guarantee the reliability and comparability of analytical data an intricate system of quality-assurance measures has to be put into effect in a laboratory. Reference materials and, in particular, certified reference materials (CRMs) are essential for achieving traceability and comparability of measurement results between laboratories and over time. As in any other domain of analytical chemistry, techniques used to monitor the levels and fate of contaminants in the environment must be calibrated using appropriate calibration materials, and the methods must be properly validated using fit-for-purpose matrix-matched CRMs, to ensure confidence in the data produced. A sufficiently large number of matrix CRMs are available for analysis of most elements, and the group of chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants, in environmental compartments and biota. The wide variety of analyte/level/matrix/matrix property combinations available from several suppliers enables analysts to select CRMs which sufficiently match the properties of the samples they analyse routinely. Materials value-assigned for the so-called emerging pollutants are scarce at the moment, though an objective of current development programmes of CRM suppliers is to overcome this problem.     

Rapid SPE-HPLC determination of the 16 European priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in olive oils

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large class of organic compounds. It has been established that the main source of exposure to these compounds for human beings is through food, particularly fats and oils, due to the lipophilic nature of these polycyclic compounds. The aim of this work was to optimise and validate a method involving SPE and HPLC for rapid determination of the 16 European Union (EU) priority PAHs (required by the Recommendation 2005/108/EC) in vegetable oils. Two spectrofluorometric detectors and a UV-Visible detector in series were used to identify and quantify the target compounds. Linearity, recoveries, LOD, and LOQ were found to be in agreement with the performance criteria for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) analysis as required by the Commission Directive 2005/10/EC, and satisfactory for all the compounds of interest, except for cyclopenta[c,d]pyrene, which presented a very low signal in the UV. Optimised chromatographic conditions for the separation of 25 PAHs, comprising both EPA and EU priority PAHs plus benzo[e]pyrene and benzo[b]chrysene, have been also proposed.     

Certified reference material for quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and toxic elements in tunnel dust (NMIJ CRM 7308-a) from the National Metrology Institute of Japan

The National Metrology Institute of Japan has issued a certified reference material of tunnel dust for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic element analyses. PAH certification was performed using isotope dilution mass spectrometry with deuterium-labeled PAHs as internal standards. Three extraction techniques (microwave-assisted extraction with toluene/methanol, Soxhlet extraction with toluene, and pressurized liquid extraction with toluene) were used, and the extracts were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with two different columns. For values of PAHs, 11 PAHs are provided as certified values between 0.294 and 20.3 mg/kg, and five PAHs are provided as information values. Certified values of five toxic elements (Cr, Ni, Pb, Mn, and Cd) obtained from microwave-assisted digestions and a combination of measurement techniques are also provided between 43.4 and 10.71 × 10³ mg/kg.     

Two new marine sediment standard reference materials (SRMs) for the determination of organic contaminants

Two new marine sediment standard reference materials (SRMs), SRM 1941b Organics in Marine Sediment and SRM 1944 New York/New Jersey Waterway Sediment, have been recently issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the determination of organic contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and chlorinated pesticides. Both sediment SRMs were analyzed using multiple analytical methods including gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) on columns with different selectivity, reversed-phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (for PAHs only), and GC with electron capture detection (for PCBs and pesticides only). SRM 1941b has certified concentrations for 24 PAHs, 29 PCB congeners, and 7 pesticides, and SRM 1944 has certified concentrations for 24 PAHs, 29 PCB congeners, and 4 pesticides. Reference concentrations are also provided for an additional 58 (SRM 1941b) and 39 (SRM 1944) PAHs, PCB congeners, and pesticides. SRM 1944, which was collected from multiple sites within New York/New Jersey coastal waterways, has contaminant concentrations that are generally a factor of 10–20 greater than SRM 1941b, which was collected in the Baltimore (Maryland) harbor. These two SRMs represent the most extensively characterized marine sediment certified reference materials available for the determination of organic contaminants.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at . A link in the frame on the left on that page takes you directly to the supplementary material.     

Evaluation of surface sediment contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in colony Z3—(Patos Lagoon, Brazil)

This paper describes the extraction and analysis of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in five points of the Patos Lagoon Estuary. These points were in the area named “colony Z3”, which is a craft fishermen community in Pelotas City (southern Brazil). Samples were collected in July of 2007, and the concentrations of 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometry detector (GC/MS). The PAH concentrations ranged from 4.7 to 112.5 µg kg^− 1 dry weight. Sediment samples with the highest PAH concentrations appeared at point 2, which is a pier. The correlation between the total organic material (TOM) and the total PAH concentration suggests that TOM plays an important role in controlling the PAH levels in sediments. According to the observed ratios of individual PAHs, the contamination in the studied areas originated both from high-temperature pyrolytic processes and petrogenic sources. The levels of PAHs at the studied sites in the Z3 colony (Patos Lagoon) were low enough that they should not exert adverse biological effects.     

Preparation and characterization of organic calibration solutions for development of certified reference materials at the National Metrology Institute of Japan

Certified reference materials (CRMs) are playing an increasingly important role in environmental monitoring in Japan. The National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)/National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has been developing CRMs of organic calibration solutions since 2003, and has issued several NMIJ CRMs. The development of these materials was conducted at the NMIJ in cooperation with candidate material producers. The freezing-point depression method was principally adopted for assessment of the purity of starting materials to give reliable certified values. Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID) and/or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which are based on independent principles and whose levels of accuracy are well evaluated, were applied in combination with other methods to avoid any possible analytical bias. Purity assessment is outlined for two typical examples, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p′-DDD) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p′-DDT), which were used as starting materials for a CRM under development. Methods adopted for gravimetric preparation and ampouling of solutions were qualified and optimized to reduce the uncertainties of certified values due to these factors. Furthermore, a new experimental scheme for assessment of stability and preparation variation is proposed for the proper estimation of uncertainties. Presented at BERM-11, October 2007, Tsukuba, Japan.     

Development of a focused ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediment and mussel samples

Focused ultrasonic-assisted extraction (FUSE) is a new and particular technique based on the cavitation effect. In this work, the focused ultrasound assisted extraction was studied and developed for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from marine sediments and mussel tissues. The variables influencing the extraction (amplitude of the ultrasound pulse, the extraction time and the solvent) were studied by a full factorial design and a central composite design. As a result, flat response surfaces were obtained and the most convenient conditions were 45% of ultrasound amplitude, 120 s of extraction time and 5 mL of acetone. Both accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated by means of two certified reference materials (marine sediment and mussel tissue) and the results were also compared to those obtained by microwave assisted extraction.     

Results of a European inter-laboratory comparison study on the determination of EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible vegetable oils

A collaborative study on the analysis for 15 + 1 EU priority PAHs in edible oils was organised to investigate the state-of-the-art of respective analytical methods. Three spiked vegetable oils, one contaminated native sunflower oil, and one standard solution were investigated in this study. The results of 52 laboratories using either high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection or gas chromatography with mass-selective detectors were evaluated by application of robust statistics. About 95% of the laboratories were able to quantify benzo[a]pyrene together with five other PAHs included in the commonly known list of 16 US-EPA PAHs. About 80% of the participants also quantified seven additional PAHs in most samples, two of which were benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[k]fluoranthene, which were also known from the EPA list. Only about 50% of the participants quantified cyclopenta[cd]pyrene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, and benzo[c]fluorene. The robust relative standard deviations of the submitted results without discrimination between the methods applied ranged between 100% for 5-methylchrysene in spiked olive oil and 11% for the same analyte in spiked sunflower oil. The results clearly showed that for these analytes the methods of analysis are not yet well established in European laboratories, and more collaborative trials are needed to promote further development and to improve the performances of the respective methods.     

Polydimethylsiloxane‐coated partitioning sample collection device for the precise quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air

A novel partitioning collection device comprising a glass cartridge packed with poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐coated macroporous silica particles was developed for the precise quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air. The analyte collection and elution performances achieved using different amounts of poly(dimethylsiloxane) coating were quantitatively evaluated. The sample retention power increased with increasing the coating, and more than 250 L of air could be collected without analyte breakthrough at a sampling temperature of 35°C. During the air collection, the moisture in the air was not retained on the particles due to the hydrophobic surface of the sorbent. A complete and rapid elution of the collected analytes from the device was accomplished by the passage of only 10 mL of acetone with ultrasonication for 1 min. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tunnel air.     

Application of counter-current chromatography as a new pretreatment method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental water

Counter‐current chromatography (CCC) was investigated as a new sample pretreatment method for the determination of trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water environmental samples. The experiment was performed with a non‐aqueous binary two‐phase solvent system composed of n‐heptane and acetonitrile. The CCC column was first filled with the upper stationary phase, and then a large volume of water sample was pumped into the column while the CCC column was rotated at 1600 rpm. Finally, the trace amounts of PAHs extracted and enriched in the stationary phase were eluted out by the lower mobile phase and determined by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC‐FID) or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The enrichment and cleanup of PAHs can be fulfilled online by this method with high recoveries (84.1–103.2%) and good reproducibility (RSDs: 4.9–12.2%) for 16 EPA PAHs under the optimized CCC pretreatment conditions. This method has been successfully applied to determine PAHs in lake water where 8 PAHs were detected in the concentration of 40.9–89.9 ng/L. The present method is extremely suitable for the preparation of large volume of environmental water sample for the determination of trace amounts of organic pollutants including PAHs as studied in this paper.     

中空结构的双金属有机骨架材料作为固相微萃取纤维涂层用于多环芳烃的高灵敏检测

环境样品中多环芳烃(PAHs)含量较低且样品基质复杂,直接利用仪器进行含量测定比较困难,因此在仪器分析之前需要对环境样品进行必要的前处理。大多数前处理技术的萃取效率取决于萃取材料的特性。目前,金属有机骨架材料(MOFs)作为一种由金属离子与有机配体自组装而成的多孔材料,已经被用作固相微萃取(SPME)的涂层材料应用于PAHs的萃取,但是这些MOFs涂层材料由于目标物较难达到其深层的吸附位点,使得萃取过程往往需要较长的平衡时间;此外,大多数MOFs由单金属离子配位构成,能够提供的开放金属活性位点种类比较单一,较难获得最佳的萃取性能。这些问题在一定程度上限制了MOFs材料在SPME领域的应用。该研究制备了一种中空结构的双金属有机骨架材料(H-BiMOF),并将其作为SPME的涂层材料,用于萃取环境样品中痕量的PAHs。由于中空的结构和双金属的组成,H-BiMOF涂层材料拥有比表面积利用率高、传质距离短等优点,可以使萃取过程快速地达到平衡。同时,双金属的引入提供了种类丰富的金属活性位点,提高了对PAHs这类富电子云目标物的萃取效率。与气相色谱-串联质谱(GC-MS/MS)相结合,建立了一种用于环境水样中PAHs分析的新方法。所建立的分析方法具有检出限低(0.01~0.08 ng/L)、线性范围宽(0.03~500.0 ng/L)、重复性良好(相对标准偏差≤9.8%, n=5)等优点,并成功地用于实际湖水样品中7种PAHs的检测。实验结果表明,所建立的分析方法适用于环境样品中PAHs的分析与监测。