IAEA quality control studies on determining trace elements in bioindicators

Twenty laboratories from 17 countries around the world participated in two analytical quality control exercises, coded NAT-5 and NAT-6, on determining trace and minor elements in plant bioindicator samples. 1398 laboratory mean values for 51 elements were submitted for two lichen and two moss materials. The submitted measurement results were evaluated as interlaboratory comparison (IC) exercises and as proficiency tests (PT) following standard procedures developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The evaluations confirmed good performance of the participating laboratories for many elements. Furthermore, the laboratories performance based on IC criteria improved from the first exercise to the second one. Subsequent NAT-5 evaluation revealed systematic differences between the analytical values obtained non-destructively or after the total sample dissolution and the measurements following nitric acid sample dissolution (without the use of hydrofluoric acid) for some elements. The most critical elements for this kind of discrepancies appeared to be Al, Ca, Cr, Fe, Na, Ni, and Pb. After changing analytical methodologies in the concerned laboratories, more consistent values for those elements were obtained in NAT-6. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.