Multielement analysis with ICP-AES-possibilities for quality control with CRMs

Summary An analysis using Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) together with routine samples is by far the best approach for quality control in multielement analysis of environmental samples. The selection of the correct CRM is thus the first important step for all reliable analysis. The chosen material should have a similar matrix, similar concentration of the element(s) of interest and a sufficient number of well-certified elements. For the analysis of samples from the Environmental Specimen Bank only a few CRMs could be successfully used. These were analyzed for a considerable period of time, together with the routine samples for quality control. The results of these analyses were compared with the certified values.