Collaborative study to improve the quality control of trace element determinations in polymers. Part 1. Interlaboratory study

In order to control the quality of trace element determinations in polymer, the Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme (formerly BCR) of the Eu ropean Commission has started a project of which the final aim is to certif y polymer reference materials for their contents of a range of trace elemen ts. The first part of this project consisted in an interlaboratory study wh ich aimed at testing the feasibility of preparation of candidate polymer re ference materials and to detect and remove most of the pitfalls observed in trace element determinations. This paper presents the results of this inte rlaboratory study carried out prior to the certification campaign.