Origin and preparation of the material
A marine sediment sample was collected in Han River estuary, South Korea. This sediment was freeze-dried, ground and sieved at 125 µm.
The sieved sediment obtained, around 26 kg, with a particle size of less than 125 μm was homogenized by mixing it in a stainless steel rotating homogenizer for three weeks. Then, aliquots of about 50 g were packaged into cleaned amber glass bottles with aluminium screw caps, labelled IAEA-459 and sealed with Teflon tape.
This certified reference material is intended to be used as a quality control material for the assessment of a laboratory’s analytical work, for the development and validation of analytical procedures, and for quality assurance within a laboratory in the determination of chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment samples with very low concentration levels.
Certified mass fractions values
(based on dry mass)
Polycyclic Aromatic hydrocarbons
| Analyte | Unit | Certified value1 | Expanded uncertainty2 |
| 2-Methylnaphthalene | μg kg-1 | 15.5 | 5.0 |
| 1-Methylnaphthalene | μg kg-1 | 9.2 | 3.6 |
| Acenaphthylene | μg kg-1 | 3.2 | 1.3 |
| Fluorene | μg kg-1 | 4.7 | 1.9 |
| Acenaphthene | μg kg-1 | 1.78 | 0.73 |
| Dibenzothiophene | μg kg-1 | 9.4 | 1.8 |
| Phenanthrene | μg kg-1 | 33.9 | 6.0 |
| Anthracene | μg kg-1 | 6.0 | 1.0 |
| Fluoranthene | μg kg-1 | 37.3 | 3.0 |
| Pyrene | μg kg-1 | 46.3 | 8.3 |
| Benz(a)anthracene | μg kg-1 | 19.3 | 4.3 |
| Chrysene+triphenylene | μg kg-1 | 27.5 | 8.5 |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | μg kg-1 | 44.1 | 9.3 |
| Benzo(b+j) fluoranthene | μg kg-1 | 59 | 15 |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | μg kg-1 | 19.0 | 5.3 |
| Benzo(e)pyrene | μg kg-1 | 36 | 12 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | μg kg-1 | 22.7 | 4.3 |
| Indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene | μg kg-1 | 36 | 11 |
| Benzo(g,h,i)perylene | μg kg-1 | 36 | 11 |
PCB congeners
| Analyte | Unit | Certified value1 | Expanded uncertainty2 |
| PCB 28 | µg kg-1 | 2.27 | 0.56 |
| PCB 31 | µg kg-1 | 2.41 | 0.60 |
| PCB 44 | µg kg-1 | 1.72 | 0.64 |
| PCB 49 | µg kg-1 | 2.64 | 0.40 |
| PCB 52 | µg kg-1 | 2.38 | 0.67 |
| PCB 66 | µg kg-1 | 3.10 | 0.81 |
| PCB 87 | µg kg-1 | 1.24 | 0.17 |
| PCB 101 | µg kg-1 | 3.78 | 0.43 |
| PCB 105 | µg kg-1 | 1.29 | 0.31 |
| PCB 110 | µg kg-1 | 3.70 | 0.68 |
| PCB 118 | µg kg-1 | 2.98 | 0.39 |
| PCB 128 | µg kg-1 | 0.62 | 0.11 |
| PCB 138 | µg kg-1 | 3.25 | 0.89 |
| PCB 149 | µg kg-1 | 2.88 | 0.51 |
| PCB 151 | µg kg-1 | 0.66 | 0.18 |
| PCB 153 | µg kg-1 | 3.75 | 0.66 |
| PCB 156 | µg kg-1 | 0.336 | 0.063 |
| PCB 170 | µg kg-1 | 1.02 | 0.22 |
| PCB 180 | µg kg-1 | 2.22 | 0.34 |
| PCB 183 | µg kg-1 | 0.72 | 0.27 |
| PCB 187 | µg kg-1 | 1.39 | 0.20 |
| PCB 209 | µg kg-1 | 0.199 | 0.067 |
Chlorinated pesticides
| Analyte | Unit | Certified value1 | Expanded uncertainty2 |
| pp' DDE | µg kg-1 | 3.60 | 0.48 |
| pp' DDD | µg kg-1 | 3.00 | 0.93 |
| pp' DDT | µg kg-1 | 1.32 | 0.52 |
| op DDE | µg kg-1 | 0.47 | 0.11 |
| op DDD | µg kg-1 | 0.75 | 0.27 |
| op DDT | µg kg-1 | 0.35 | 0.13 |
PBDE congeners
| Analyte | Unit | Certified value1 | Expanded uncertainty2 |
| BDE 47 | µg kg-1 | 0.177 | 0.060 |
| BDE 99 | µg kg-1 | 0.240 | 0.067 |
| BDE 153 | µg kg-1 | 0.097 | 0.022 |
| BDE 183 | µg kg-1 | 0.282 | 0.065 |
| BDE 209 | µg kg-1 | 10.8 | 2.9 |
1) The value is the robust mean of accepted sets of data, each set being obtained by different laboratory. The certified values are reported on dry mass basis and are traceable to the SI.
2) Expanded uncertainty with a coverage factor k=2 2 Expanded uncertainty with a coverage factor k=2 estimated in accordance with the JCGM 100:2008 Evaluation of measurement data – Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement [1], corresponding to the level of confidence of about 95%.
Recommended and information values for mass fractions
Chlorinated pesticides, PCBs Congeners, Petroleum hydrocarbons
please consult Reference sheet (attached)
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
The assigned values were established on the basis of statistically valid results submitted by laboratories to the IAEA Environment Laboratories.
The details concerning all reported results as well as the criteria for qualification as a certified, recommended or information value may be found in the respective report (attached).
