2016 International Interlaboratory Study on Fish Reference Materials
The purpose of this interlaboratory study is to recertify fish reference materials previously evaluated in a 2006 interlaboratory study conducted by Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. (CIL). Participating laboratories will be asked to characterize dioxin, PCB, flame retardant, pesticide, PAH, PCN, and other organic contaminant levels in fish tissue reference materials. The study is scheduled to take place from March to July 2016. Preliminary results are anticipated to be available in July 2016. We encourage any laboratory, whether commercial, governmental, or academic, to participate in this interlaboratory study. All laboratories with experience in testing Certified Reference Materials and Performance Evaluation standards are encouraged to participate in this study. Laboratories that participated in any previous Interlaboratory studies on fish tissue, soil, sediment, freeze-dried egg, cod liver oil, or fly ash are highly encouraged to participate once again.
CIL’s fish tissue reference materials (RMs) were first evaluated by international interlaboratory analysis in 1993, and the same RMs have been in constant use ever since. CIL has ample inventory of the fish RMs, and will maintain these invaluable, long-term QC check standards for the foreseeable future. The fish reference materials will be supplied as 10 gram aliquots of homogenized slurry in flame-sealed ampoules. Dioxin and furan concentrations generally range between 0.01 ng/kg and 500 ng/kg.
Data from all participating laboratories will be evaluated, and statistical consensus values will be calculated. Copies of the individual values reported, with the laboratories coded, will be provided to all participants. Upon completion of this study, a Certificate of Analysis containing all reference values and standard deviations will be made available.
Consensus values will be provided for the following chemical classes and representative analytes. Please report on as many of these as you are able, as well as any other analytes within these classes. Results will be reported for all analytes with five or more reported values.
• Polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDDs and PCDFs)
- 17 Toxic 2,3,7,8-containing congeners
- Non-2,3,7,8-containing congeners
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
- 12 WHO dioxin-like PCBs
- 6 Non-dioxin-like PCBs (marker, indicator)
- Other PCBs
• Polyaromatic compounds (PACs)
- EPA 16 PAHs
- EFSA PAHs
• Pesticides
• Other PACs
- Flame Retardants (FRs)
- Brominated Diphenyl Ethers (BDEs)
- Other Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)
- Phosphorus Flame Retardants (PFRs)
• Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs)
• Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)
- PFOS
- PFOA
- Other PFCs