The material is intended for quality control and assessment of method performance. As any reference material, it can also be used for control charts or validation studies.
The project aimed to certify the mass fractions of trace elements with target contents at natural levels that are similar to ERM-CE278 and below regulatory limits for food contaminants (EC466/2001 and amendment 1881/2006 (Cd < 1.0 mg/kg, Hg < 0.50 mg/kg, Pb < 1.5 mg/kg, "wet weight")). Compared to ERM-CE278, a larger range of 15 trace elements was studied; Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Se and Zn. The list of elements for which values are provided was update with the aim to provide a material useful for a wider variety of laboratory studies.
The starting material was wild mussels (mytulis edulis) harvested off the coast of the Netherlands. The mussels were collected in late spring, steam-cooked, shelled and frozen. About 150 kg of mussel flesh was freeze-dried, frozen in liquid nitrogen and milled before sieving to obtain a fine powder. keywords : Biological material, Animal tissue, Trace elements, Heavy metals, foodstuff , fish/shellfish |
