A large batch of mussels (Mytilus edulis) was collected from the North Sea to be used as an intercomparison material. This material was freeze-dried and ground. It was further sieved through a 250 μm stainless steel sieve. The mussel powder fraction of particle size less than 250 μm was further homogenized by mixing in a rotating drum for two weeks. Then, aliquots of about 45 grams were packaged into glass bottles with aluminum screw caps and sealed with Teflon tape.
Recommended values (based on dry mass)
Pesticides and PCBs
| Analyte | Unit | Concentration | Standard deviation | N* |
| HCB | ng/g | 0.2 | 0.1 | 21 |
| pp' DDE | ng/g | 2.1 | 1.0 | 39 |
| pp' DDD | ng/g | 0.88 | 0.49 | 30 |
| PCB No 49 | ng/g | 0.29 | 0.08 | 6 |
| PCB No 70 | ng/g | 0.64 | 0.35 | 7 |
| PCB No 101 | ng/g | 1.2 | 0.49 | 24 |
| PCB No 110 | ng/g | 1.12 | 0.4 | 10 |
| PCB No 118 | ng/g | 1.09 | 0.42 | 24 |
| PCB No 138 | ng/g | 2.2 | 0.84 | 31 |
| PCB No 149 | ng/g | 1.4 | 0.41 | 10 |
| PCB No 153 | ng/g | 2.8 | 0.99 | 31 |
| PCB No 180 | ng/g | 0.2 | 0.11 | 16 |
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
| Analyte | Unit | Concentration | Standard deviation | N* |
| Phenanthrene | ng/g | 27 | 21 | 32 |
| 1 Methyl Phenanthrene | ng/g | 4.2 | 2.8 | 8 |
| 2 Methyl Phenanthrene | ng/g | 9.4 | 4.9 | 5 |
| Anthracene | ng/g | 1.5 | 1.1 | 11 |
| Chrysene | ng/g | 5.5 | 3.8 | 23 |
| Fluorene | ng/g | 4.1 | 2.2 | 8 |
| Fluoranthene | ng/g | 12 | 6.5 | 27 |
| Pyrene | ng/g | 13 | 6.0 | 25 |
| Benzo (b) Fluoranthene | ng/g | 4.8 | 1.7 | 10 |
| Benzo (k) Fluoranthene | ng/g | 1.9 | 1.1 | 12 |
| Benz (a) Anthracene | ng/g | 3.8 | 3.1 | 24 |
| Benzo (a) Pyrene | ng/g | 0.9 | 0.5 | 17 |
| Benzo (e) Pyrene | ng/g | 4.5 | 1.7 | 11 |
* Number of accepted laboratory results which were used to calculate the recommended value and its standard deviation about the mean value.
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 | Concentration | Standard deviation | N* |
| γ HCH (Lindane) | ng/g | 0.58 | 0.54 | 30 |
| α HCH | ng/gng/g | 0.23 | 0.25 | 8 |
| β HCH | ng/gng/g | 0.22 | 0.11 | 7 |
| pp' DDT | ng/gng/g | 0.67 | 0.46 | 25 |
| op DDE | ng/gng/g | 0.62 | 0.64 | 5 |
| op DDD | ng/gng/g | 1.8 | 2.7 | 4 |
| op DDT | ng/g | 1.8 | 2.0 | 4 |
| Heptachlor | ng/g | 1.0 | 1.1 | 19 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | ng/g | 11 | 18 | 12 |
| Aldrin | ng/g | 1.5 | 1.4 | 17 |
| Dieldrin | ng/g | 1.3 | 0.94 | 24 |
| Endrin | ng/g | 5.4 | 6.9 | 16 |
| α Endosulfan | ng/g | 4.0 | 3.6 | 11 |
| β Endosulfan | ng/g | 1.8 | 2.0 | 11 |
| Endosulfan Sulfate | ng/g | 1.8 | 1.3 | 8 |
| α Chlordane | ng/g | 0.25 | 0.1 | 6 |
| γ Chlordane | ng/g | 0.49 | 0.58 | 8 |
| Cis Nonachlor | ng/g | 0.2 | 0.17 | 3 |
| Trans Nonachlor | ng/g | 0.53 | 0.29 | 3 |
| Aroclor 1254 | ng/g | 27 | 17 | 16 |
| Aroclor 1260 | ng/g | 16 | 12 | 15 |
PCB Congeners
| Analyte | Unit | Concentration | Standard deviation | N* |
| PCB No 8 | ng/g | 0.57 | 0.32 | 4 |
| PCB No 18 | ng/g | 1.6 | 1.7 | 11 |
| PCB No 28 | ng/g | 0.32 | 0.26 | 18 |
| PCB No 31 | ng/g | 1.0 | 1.04 | 10 |
| PCB No 44 | ng/g | 0.7 | 0.68 | 10 |
| PCB No 52 | ng/g | 1.2 | 1,2 | 23 |
| PCB No 66 | ng/g | 0.38 | 0.16 | 4 |
| PCB No 74 | ng/g | 0.13 | 0.03 | 4 |
| PCB No 82 | ng/g | 0.11 | 0.08 | 3 |
| PCB No 87 | ng/g | 0.27 | 0.11 | 4 |
| PCB No 95 | ng/g | 1.1 | 0.79 | 8 |
| PCB No 97 | ng/g | 0.31 | 0.16 | 4 |
| PCB No 99 | ng/g | 2.1 | 2.4 | 7 |
| PCB No 105 | ng/g | 0.5 | 0.39 | 14 |
| PCB No 128 | ng/g | 0.25 | 0.08 | 7 |
| PCB No 141 | ng/g | 0.19 | 0.22 | 3 |
| PCB No 146 | ng/g | 0.59 | 0.11 | 3 |
| PCB No 151 | ng/g | 0.4 | 0.04 | 3 |
| PCB No 156 | ng/g | 0.35 | 0.31 | 8 |
| PCB No 158 | ng/g | 0.17 | 0.07 | 4 |
| PCB No 167 | ng/g | 0.32 | 0.1 | 3 |
| PCB No 170 | ng/g | 0.57 | 0.51 | 7 |
| PCB No 174 | ng/g | 0.26 | 0.27 | 4 |
| PCB No 177 | ng/g | 0.26 | 0.14 | 4 |
| PCB No 183 | ng/g | 0.24 | 0.05 | 6 |
| PCB No 187 | ng/g | 0.87 | 0.13 | 7 |
| PCB No 189 | ng/g | 0.12 | 0.15 | 3 |
| PCB No 194 | ng/g | 0.27 | 0.28 | 4 |
| PCB No 195 | ng/g | 0.22 | 0.18 | 5 |
* Number of accepted laboratory results which were used to calculate the recommended value and its standard deviation about the mean value.
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
| Analyte | Unit | Concentration | Standard deviation | N* |
| UVF equival. ROPME oil | ng/g | 11000 | 4900 | 3 |
| Total Aliphatics | ng/g | 10000 | 9000 | 5 |
| Resolved Aliphatics | ng/g | 18000 | 20000 | 9 |
| Unresolved Aliphatics | ng/g | 38000 | 43000 | 5 |
| Pristane | ng/g | 140 | 130 | 10 |
| n - C17 | ng/g | 200 | 140 | 12 |
| n - C18 | ng/g | 67 | 68 | 11 |
| Phytane | ng/g | 41 | 44 | 9 |
| Σ n-Alkanes (C14-C34 | ng/g | 4500 | 4800 | 10 |
| Total Aromatics | ng/g | 3000 | 3900 | 8 |
| Resolved Aromatics | ng/g | 1500 | 1800 | 10 |
| Naphthalene | ng/g | 15 | 18 | 15 |
| 1 Methyl Naphthalene | ng/g | 8.8 | 9.5 | 3 |
| 2 Methyl Naphthalene | ng/g | 14 | 13 | 3 |
| Perylene | ng/g | 5.0 | 2.8 | 3 |
* Number of accepted laboratory results which were used to calculate the recommended value and its standard deviation about the mean value.
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 report IAEA/AL/146 (attached).
