CERTIFICATION OF TOTAL MERCURY IN A SEA-WATER REFERENCE MATERIAL, CRM-579

A wide range of certified reference materials is needed for the qualit y control of analyses performed in the frame of marine environmental p rogrammes. As a response to this need, the Measurements and Testing Pr ogramme (formerly BCR) has conducted an interlaboratory project to cer tify the total mercury content of a sea-water reference material. This paper describes the preparation of the reference material, its homoge neity and stability studies and the analytical work performed for the certification of total mercury (1.85 +/- 0.20 ng kg(-1)).