NIST Inter-Comparison Exercise Program the Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Marine Sediment: Description and Results of the 2004 Inter-Comparison Exercise

摘要

In support of environmental monitoring measurement programs, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducts inter-laboratory comparison exercises to provide one mechanism for participating laboratories/monitoring programs to evaluate the quality and comparability of their performance in measuring selected organic contaminants in environmental samples. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated flame retardants that are now becoming a contaminant of emerging concern. Many studies have reported different analytical methods for measuring these contaminants in environmental samples; however, very few inter-comparison exercises have been conducted on the measurements of PBDEs in environmental samples. The one major comparison that was conducted has shown large variations in measurement values. This report describes the results from the NIST 2004 exercise for the determination of PBDE congeners in marine sediments. Summaries are provided with the results received from twelve participating laboratories from six different countries. A detailed analysis of the measurement variability for eight individual BDE congeners is provided. The analytical methods used by each participating laboratory are also included.