The IAEA-406 fish homogenate was obtained from an aquaculture as a freeze-dried, ground powder. It was further sieved through a 250 µm stainless steel sieve. The fraction with a particle size below 250 µm was used to produce the reference material.
The powder was further homogenized by mixing in a stainless steel rotating drum for two weeks. After homogeneity checking, aliquots of about 35g were packed into glass bottles with Teflon lined screw caps and sealed with Teflon tape. The bottles were sterilized by gamma-ray irradiation with a total dose of 25 kGy using a 60Co source.
Recommended values (based on dry mass)
Pesticides and PCBs
| Analyte | Unit | Value | 95% Confidence Interval | N |
| HCB | ng/g | 1.5 | 0.95 - 2.0 | 28 |
| pp’ DDE | ng/g | 9.2 | 6.2 – 11 | 37 |
| pp’ DDD | ng/g | 2.8 | 2.0 - 3.7 | 32 |
| op DDE | ng/g | 0.76 | 0.48 – 1.3 | 4 |
| Heptachlor | ng/g | 0.32 | 0.23 – 0.46 | 10 |
| Aldrin | ng/g | 0.75 | 0.61 – 1.2 | 12 |
| α Chlordane | ng/g | 2.8 | 2.0 – 4.1 | 13 |
| PCB No 28 | ng/g | 0.57 | 0.43 – 1.3 | 18 |
| PCB No 31 | ng/g | 0.29 | 0.23 – 0.47 | 5 |
| PCB No 52 | ng/g | 1.3 | 1.0 – 2.2 | 15 |
| PCB No 101 | ng/g | 3.1 | 2.2 – 3.4 | 18 |
| PCB No 110 | ng/g | 1.4 | 1.3 - 2.0 | 5 |
| PCB No 138 | ng/g | 4.0 | 2.5 – 6.3 | 23 |
| PCB No 149 | ng/g | 2.0 | 1.7 – 2.4 | 6 |
| PCB No 153 | ng/g | 3.7 | 2.9 – 6.0 | 22 |
| PCB No 156 | ng/g | 0.27 | 0.21 – 0.59 | 6 |
| PCB No 170 | ng/g | 0.54 | 0.38 – 0.81 | 7 |
| PCB No 180 | ng/g | 1.2 | 1.0 – 1.2 | 14 |
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
| Analyte | Unit | Value | 95% Confidence Interval | N |
| Pyrene | ng/g | 4.5 | 2.1 – 9.1 | 7 |
(Value) Concentration calculated as a median of the accepted laboratory means
(N) Number of accepted laboratory means which are used to calculate the recommended or information values and their respective confidence intervals
Information values (based on dry mass)
Please note that information values are not to be used for any assessment of analytical performance or similar; they are included to provide information about the expected mass fractions/concentration levels
Chlorinated Pesticides
| Analyte | Unit | Value | 95% Confidence Interval | N |
| α HCH | ng/g | 0.79 | 0.23 – 1.7 | 10 |
| β HCH | ng/g | 0.75 | 0.20 - 2.3 | 6 |
| ɣ HCH (Lindane) | ng/g | 0.27 | 0.11 – 0.80 | 23 |
| pp' DDT | ng/g | 3.0 | 1.8 – 5.6 | 37 |
| op DDD | ng/g | 0.88 | 0.43 – 3.0 | 3 |
| op DDT | ng/g | 2.9 | 0.90 – 4.4 | 6 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | ng/g | 0.99 | 0.37 – 1.6 | 14 |
| Dieldrin | ng/g | 3.5 | 1.4 – 7.0 | 23 |
| Endrin | ng/g | 1.9 | 0.86 – 5.1 | 16 |
| α Endosulfan | ng/g | 3.5 | 0.94 – 4.7 | 12 |
| β Endosulfan | ng/g | 1.4 | 1.0 – 1.6 | 7 |
| Endosulfan Sulfate | ng/g | 3.6 | 3.1 – 5.6 | 6 |
| ɣ Chlordane | ng/g | 0.70 | 0.63 – 1.0 | 7 |
| Cis Nonachlor | ng/g | 0.86 | 0.77 – 1.4 | 3 |
| Trans Nonachlor | ng/g | 4.1 | 3.9 – 4.1 | 3 |
| Aroclor 1254 | ng/g | 33 | 26 – 58 | 11 |
| Aroclor 1260 | ng/g | 13 | 11 – 15 | 6 |
PCB Congeners
| Analyte | Unit | Value | 95% Confidence Interval | N |
| PCB No 18 | ng/g | 0.38 | 0.11 – 0.93 | 5 |
| PCB No 44 | ng/n | 0.46 | 0.46 – 0.52 | 5 |
| PCB No 45 | ng/g | 0.18 | 0.03 – 0.33 | 3 |
| PCB No 49 | ng/g | 0.41 | 0.36 – 0.44 | 4 |
| PCB No 66 | ng/g | 0.67 | 0.49 – 0.96 | 4 |
| PCB No 87 | ng/g | 0.82 | 0.69 – 1.4 | 4 |
| PCB No 95 | ng/g | 1.1 | 1.0 – 1.2 | 3 |
| PCB No 99 | ng/g | 0.91 | 0.89 – 1.2 | 3 |
| PCB No 105 | ng/g | 0.71 | 0.48 - 0.88 | 9 |
| PCB No 118 | ng/g | 2.5 | 1.9 – 3.7 | 20 |
| PCB No 128 | ng/g | 0.8 | 0.51 – 1.4 | 5 |
| PCB No 141 | ng/g | 0.41 | 0.40 - 0.43 | 4 |
| PCB No 151 | ng/g | 0.67 | 0.62 – 0.75 | 4 |
| PCB No 174 | ng/g | 0.30 | 0.29 – 0.37 | 3 |
| PCB No 177 | ng/g | 0.18 | 0.16 – 0.19 | 4 |
| PCB No 183 | ng/g | 0.32 | 0.28 – 0.35 | 4 |
| PCB No 187 | ng/g | 1.1 | 0.96 – 1.2 | 6 |
| PCB No 194 | ng/g | 0.13 | 0.10 – 0.25 | 4 |
| PCB No 195 | ng/g | 0.04 | 0.03 – 1.5 | 3 |
| PCB No 198 | ng/g | 0.068 | 0.009 – 0.500 | 3 |
| PCB No 199 | ng/g | 0.16 | 0.013 – 0.17 | 3 |
| PCB No 200 | ng/g | 0.10 | 0.009 – 1.1 | 3 |
| PCB No 201 | ng/g | 0.12 | 0.07 – 0.23 | 3 |
| PCB No 206 | ng/g | 0.05 | 0.03 – 3.1 | 3 |
| PCB No 209 | ng/g | 0.07 | 0.07 – 1.1 | 4 |
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
| Analyte | Unit | Value | 95% Confidence Interval | N |
| UVF equivalent ROPME oil | ng/g | 8400 | 3500 - 16000 | 4 |
| Total Aliphatics | ng/g | 33000 | 28000 - 34000 | 3 |
| Resolved Aliphatics | ng/g | 24000 | 8800 - 310000 | 4 |
| n-C17 | ng/g | 91 | 30-260 | 8 |
| Pristane | ng/g | 3500 | 720 - 6200 | 11 |
| n-C18 | ng/g | 240 | 38 - 560 | 10 |
| Phytane | ng/g | 200 | 13 - 310 | 6 |
| ∑ n Alkanes (C14-C34) | ng/g | 4500 | 2800 - 22000 | 8 |
| Total Aromatics | ng/g | 26000 | 7200 - 53000 | 5 |
| Resolved Aromatics | ng/g | 35000 | 8100 - 55000 | 4 |
| Naphthalene | ng/g | 24 | 16 - 440 | 9 |
| Phenanthrene | ng/g | 22 | 8 - 220 | 12 |
| 1 Methyl Phenanthrene | ng/g | 12 | 3.6 – 92 | 4 |
| 2 Methyl Phenanthrene | ng/g | 4.7 | 3.3 - 10 | 3 |
| Anthracene | ng/g | 19 | 15 - 43 | 4 |
| Chrysene | ng/g | 2.3 | 2.2 – 4.4 | 5 |
| Fluoranthene | ng/g | 4.9 | 4.0 - 9.6 | 9 |
| Benzo (b) Fluoranthene | ng/g | 2.3 | 0.78 - 9.5 | 4 |
| Benzo (k) Fluoranthene | ng/g | 2.8 | 0.38 - 130 | 4 |
| Benz (a) Anthracene | ng/g | 0.81 | 0.24 - 0.91 | 5 |
| Benzo (a) Pyrene | ng/g | 2.9 | 0.62 - 3.0 | 5 |
| Benzo (ghi) Perylene | ng/g | 0.78 | 0.28 - 1.3 | 4 |
| Acenaphthylene | ng/g | 8.0 | 1.1 - 26 | 3 |
| Acenaphthene | ng/g | 1100 | 0.29 - 2300 | 4 |
(Value) Concentration calculated as a median of the accepted laboratory means
(N) Number of accepted laboratory means which are used to calculate the recommended or information values and their respective confidence intervals
The values listed above were established on the basis of statistically valid results submitted by laboratories which had participated in an international interlaboratory comparison organized by the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory, Monaco. The details concerning the criteria for qualification as a recommended or information value can be found in the respective report (attached).
