Calcareous Loam Soil, Domestic Sewage Sludge and Mainly Industrial Sewage Sludge as Reference Materials

Objective

Certified reference materials are needed to control the quality of trace element determinations in soils and sewage sludges. This strong demand was illustrated by the fact that the stock of a series of CRMs prepared in the 80's (CRMs 141-146) has been rapidly exhausted, which justified actions to replace them. These materials are intended mainly for the verification of accuracy of trace element determinations of nutritional or environmental importance in soils or other materials with similar matrices.

The project aimed to replace three exhausted reference materials, namely a calcareous loam soil (CRM 141R), a sewage sludge from domestic origin (CRM 144R) and a sewage sludge from industrial origin (CRM 146R).
The certification campaign was successfully conducted in 1995 and the materials were accepted for certification in 1996; they are available at the IRMM (Reports EUR 16890 EN, EUR 16891 EN and EUR 16892 EN, 1996).
Care was taken to find materials with a composition close to that of the original CRMs. The three materials were collected, dried, homogenised and bottled, and were distributed for analysis to a group of 14 EU laboratories. Results were discussed in a technical meeting with all participants.

Programme(s)

• FP3-MAT - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of measurements and testing, 1990-1994

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Studio di Ingegneria Ambientale

Address

Via Vincenzo Monti 29
20123 Milano
Italy

Participants (3)

ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE NETHERLANDS

Netherlands

Address

Westerduinweg 3
Petten

Eco Consult

Italy

Address

Via Guglielmo Marconi 15
21026 Gavirate Varese

GSF-RESEARCH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

Germany

Address

Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1
85764 Oberschleissheim