Chemical Reference Materials

There are many academic references describing how RMs are made, but few that explain why they are used, how they should be used and what happens when they are not properly used. In order to fill this gap, the editors have taken the contributions of more than thirty RM practitioners to produce a highly readable text organized in nine chapters. Starting with an introduction to historical, theoretical and technical requirements, the book goes on to examine all aspects of RM production from planning, preparation through analysis to certification, reviews recent development areas, RMs for life analysis and some important general application fields, considers the proper usage of RMs, gives advice on availability and sources of information and lastly looks at future trends and needs for RMs. This book is intended to be a single point of information that both guides the reader through the use of RMs and serves as a primary reference source. It should be on the reading list of anyone working in an analytical laboratory and be found on the library shelf of all analytical chemical laboratories.

The accuracy of chemical oceanographic measurements depends on calibration against reference materials to ensure comparability over time and among laboratories. Several key parameters lack reference materials for measurements in seawater, particles in the water column, and sediments. Without reference materials it is difficult to produce the reliable data sets or long-term baseline studies that are essential to verify global change and oceanic stability. Chemical Reference Materials : Setting the Standards for Ocean Science identifies the most urgently required chemical reference materials based on key themes for oceanographic research and provides suggestions as to how they can be developed within realistic cost constraints. Chemical analyses of seawater are uniquely difficult given the poorly known speciation and the low concentration of many of the analytes of interest. Analyses of suspended and sedimentary marine particulate materials present their own distinct challenges, primarily due to potential interference by predominant mineral phases of different types. Of all the analytical methods applied to marine waters and particles, at present only a small fraction can be systematically evaluated via comparison to reference materials that represent the appropriate natural concentrations and matrices. Specifically, the committee was charged with the following tasks: - compile from available sources a list of important oceanographic research questions that may benefit from chemical reference standards; - create a comprehensive list of reference materials currently available for oceanographic studies; - identify and prioritize the reference materials needed to study the identified research questions; - determine for each priority analyte whether reference materials and/or analytic methods should be standardized; and - identify the most appropriate approaches for the development and future production of reference materials for ocean sciences.

Under the guidance of the German Federal Institute for Materials Research (BAM), the standards for fabrication and application of reference materials are presented here in comprehensive form. The areas covered are analytical chemistry, materials science, environmental analysis, clinical and forensic toxicological analysis, and gas and food analysis. A standard reference for every analytical laboratory.

This handbook was prepared with the objective of improving the understanding of the basis for the use of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs). While written from the viewpoint of a chemist, the basic concepts described are believed to be applicable to most areas of metrology. The handbook is arranged by section in a logical progression, starting with the basic concepts of precision & accuracy, followed by discussions of the calibration & quality assurance of the measurement process, the use of SRMs to evaluate various kinds of measurements, & the reporting of data with evaluated limits of uncertainty. Charts & tables.

Physicochemical Measurements: Catalogue of Reference Materials from National Laboratories offers information on chemicals, including their density, magnetic susceptibility, calorimetry, molecular conductance, and thermal conductivity. The catalog first offers information on acidimetry, calorimetry, and spectrophotometry and tristimulus colorimetry. The chemicals examined include potassium hydrogen, boric and benzoic acids, heptane, neopentane, and aluminum oxide. The text then presents data on density, dielectric constants, differential thermal analysis, magnetic susceptibility, and molar conductance. The chemicals evaluated include cyclohexane, kerosene, toluene, chlorobenzene, carbon tetrachloride, potassium nitrate, indium, tin, aluminum, platinum, and potassium chloride. The book discusses the molecular weight of polymers, refractive index, relative humidity, specular spectral reflectance, and surface tension. The text also takes a look at thermal conductivity and emissivity and vapor pressure. The catalog is a dependable reference for readers interested in the composition, characteristics, and reactions of chemicals.

The accuracy of chemical oceanographic measurements depends on calibration against reference materials to ensure comparability over time and among laboratories. Several key parameters lack reference materials for measurements in seawater, particles in the water column, and sediments. Without reference materials it is difficult to produce the reliable data sets or long-term baseline studies that are essential to verify global change and oceanic stability. Chemical Reference Materials : Setting the Standards for Ocean Science identifies the most urgently required chemical reference materials based on key themes for oceanographic research and provides suggestions as to how they can be developed within realistic cost constraints. Chemical analyses of seawater are uniquely difficult given the poorly known speciation and the low concentration of many of the analytes of interest. Analyses of suspended and sedimentary marine particulate materials present their own distinct challenges, primarily due to potential interference by predominant mineral phases of different types. Of all the analytical methods applied to marine waters and particles, at present only a small fraction can be systematically evaluated via comparison to reference materials that represent the appropriate natural concentrations and matrices. Specifically, the committee was charged with the following tasks: - compile from available sources a list of important oceanographic research questions that may benefit from chemical reference standards; - create a comprehensive list of reference materials currently available for oceanographic studies; - identify and prioritize the reference materials needed to study the identified research questions; - determine for each priority analyte whether reference materials and/or analytic methods should be standardized; and - identify the most appropriate approaches for the development and future production of reference materials for ocean sciences.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Analytical Reagents sets the specifications for most chemicals used in analytical testing. Currently, the ACS is the only organization in the world that sets requirements and develops validated methods for determining the purity of reagent chemicals. These specifications have also become the de facto standards for chemicals used in many high-purity applications. Publications and organizations that set specifications or promulgate analytical testing methods-such as the United States Pharmacopeia and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-specify that ACS reagent-grade purity be used in their test procedures. The Eleventh Edition incorporates the "supplements" accumulated over the past eight years, removes some obsolete test methods, improves instructions for many existing ones, and also introduces some new methods. Overall, the safety, accuracy, or ease of use in specifications for about 70 of the 430 listed reagents has been improved, and seven new reagents have been added.