CRM As, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, Tl, V, Zn - Aqueous calibration solution ASTASOL® AN9094MFN

Importance of the Topic

Aqueous calibration solutions are fundamental tools in analytical chemistry, providing certified concentrations of multiple elements for the accurate calibration and validation of instrumental and wet-chemistry methods. A well-characterized multi-element standard enhances confidence in analytical results across laboratories and ensures traceability to SI units.

Objectives and Overview of the Study

This certificate describes the development and certification of ASTASOL® AN9094MFN, a multi-element aqueous calibration solution containing 22 elements at 100 mg/L. The document follows ISO Guide 31 guidelines and specifies concentration values, uncertainties, homogeneity, stability, and intended uses.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The solution was prepared gravimetrically using high-purity compounds and acidified with sub-boiled HNO₃ and HF in ultrapure water. Certification involved:

• Gravimetric and titrimetric primary methods for direct SI traceability
• Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS)
• Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)
• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Used Instrumentation

• Sub-boil distillation apparatus for acid purification
• Analytical balance for gravimetric preparation
• AAS and ICP-OES instruments calibrated with independent SRMs
• ICP-MS for trace impurity assessment

Main Results and Discussion

Certified concentrations for each element are 100.0 ± 0.2 mg/L (k=2). The density at 20 °C was determined as 1.0349 ± 0.0005 g/cm³, allowing conversion to mass fraction (96.6 ± 0.3 mg/kg). Homogeneity tests demonstrated uniform distribution of analytes, and stability studies confirmed integrity over a three-year shelf life when stored between 5–30 °C. Trace impurities of over 50 additional elements were measured at levels below detection limits or in sub-µg/L ranges, ensuring negligible interference in typical applications.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Single-bottle calibration for multi-element ICP-OES, ICP-MS, AAS, molecular absorption, and selected electrochemical methods
• Direct traceability to SI through gravimetric preparation
• Reduced preparation time and error compared with single-element standards

Future Trends and Potential Applications

As analytical instruments continue to achieve lower detection limits and higher throughput, multi-element CRMs like ASTASOL® AN9094MFN will evolve to:

• Include ultra-trace levels for emerging contaminants
• Be tailored for speciated analyses and matrix-matched calibration
• Integrate digital value transfer for automated calibration workflows

Conclusion

ASTASOL® AN9094MFN represents a robust, SI-traceable calibration solution for a broad range of elemental analysis techniques. Its certified values, demonstrated homogeneity, and stability make it an essential tool for quality control and method validation in research and industrial laboratories.

Reference

Certification methods and traceability were established using standard reference materials from NIST (SRM 3102a, 3103a, 3105a, 3112a, etc.) and TraceCERT®. Uncertainty evaluation followed ISO Guide 35 principles.