Origin and preparation of the material
In November 2004, a large quantity of marine sediment was collected from Kilbrannan Sound, south east of the island of Arran, in the Clyde River estuary, Scotland, UK. The material was collected and supplied to the IAEA through collaboration with the QUASIMEME Laboratory Performance Studies Programme.
The material was freeze dried by QUASIMEME and sent to IAEA MEL for further processing and bottling. The dried, material was hand sieved (315 μm) by MESL staff. Approximately 70% of particles had sizes below 100 μm. Aliquots of about 25 g were packed into glass bottles with polyethylene caps and sealed in plastic bags.
Approximately five hundred units of the material were prepared. The homogeneity of this material for trace elements was tested using a standard protocol and found to be satisfactory.
Recommended values for mass fractions
Trace elements
(based on dry mass)
| Analyte | Recommended value1 [mg kg-1] | Standard deviation2 [mg kg-1] |
| Silver | 0.180 | 0.033 |
| Arsenic | 11.5 | 1.2 |
| Cadmium | 0.372 | 0.039 |
| Cerium | 61.1 | 5.4 |
| Cobalt | 9.2 | 1.1 |
| Chromium | 74.4 | 5.8 |
| Caesium | 3.73 | 0.34 |
| Copper | 48.3 | 4.2 |
| Europium | 1.079 | 0.061 |
| Lanthanum | 30.2 | 2.2 |
| Manganese | 356 | 24 |
| Nickel | 30.3 | 2.9 |
| Lead | 39.6 | 4.7 |
| Rubidium | 82 | 10 |
| Antimony | 1.34 | 0.18 |
| Samarium | 4.94 | 0.32 |
| Tin | 5.84 | 0.82 |
| Strontium | 473 | 25 |
| Uranium | 2.42 | 0.28 |
| Vanadium | 73.0 | 3.7 |
| Zinc | 140.6 | 9.5 |
1) Mean values expressed on a dry-mass basis
2) Standard deviation of the mean
Recommended values for mass fractions
Matrix and minor constituents
(based on dry mass)
| Analyte | Recommended value1 [mg kg-1] | Standard deviation2 [mg kg-1] |
| Aluminium | 51.8 | 3.4 |
| Calcium | 64.9 | 5.8 |
| Iron | 26.3 | 1.4 |
| Potassium | 20.0 | 1.6 |
| Sodium | 23.8 | 1.0 |
Information values
(Based on dry mass)
| Analyte | Information value1 [mg kg-1] | Standard deviation2 [mg kg-1] |
| Barium | 1028 | 46 |
| Bromine | 224 | 15 |
| Hafnium | 6.23 | 0.4 |
| Mercury | 0.132 | 0.014 |
| Lithium | 32.5 | 3.7 |
| Lutetium | 0.306 | 0.03 |
| MeHg3 | 0.00141 | 0.0004 |
| Magnesium | 10390 | 960 |
| Molybdenum | 4.87 | 0.8 |
| Scandium | 8.32 | 0.39 |
| Tantalum | 0.97 | 0.12 |
| Terbium | 0.63 | 0.097 |
| Thorium | 8.89 | 0.58 |
| Titanium | 4390 | 170 |
| Ytterbium | 2.08 | 0.18 |
1 Mean values expressed on a dry-mass basis
2 1 Standard deviation of the mean
3 Concentration reported as mg Hg kg-1
The assigned values were established on the basis of statistically valid results submitted by laboratories which had participated in international interlaboratory comparison organized in 2006.
The details concerning all reported results as well as the criteria for qualification may be found in the respective report (attached).
