Comparison of different characterization approaches for monoelemental calibration solutions at two national metrology institutes.

Abstract

Monoelemental calibration solutions are the most common reference in elemental analysis, linking measurement results to the International System of Units (SI). National Metrology Institutes (NMI) prepare these solutions as certified reference materials (CRM) and determine their elemental mass fraction with high accuracy. Characterization with high accuracy is one of the most critical steps in CRM production. This report compares the approaches taken by the NMIs of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK-UME) and Colombia (INM(CO)) in preparing and characterizing cadmium calibration solutions with a nominal value of 1 g kg^-1. Each NMI produced CRMs using an independent batch of cadmium calibration solution and assigned mass fraction values to both their own solutions and those of the other NMIs. TÜBİTAK-UME employed a primary difference method (PDM) to assess the purity of a cadmium metal standard, quantifying all possible impurities using a combination of instrumental analytical techniques. The defined purity standard was used for both the gravimetric preparation of the CRM and the calibration of high-performance inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurements. On the other hand, INM(CO) used gravimetric titration with EDTA to assay cadmium in the CRM solutions. The EDTA salt was previously characterized by titrimetry. Despite the fundamentally different measurement methods and independent metrological traceability paths to the SI, the measurement results exhibited excellent agreement within the stated uncertainties. This comparative analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of varied characterization approaches and underscores the reliability of the cadmium calibration solutions prepared by TÜBİTAK-UME and INM(CO). This collaborative effort highlights the reliability and adaptability of various measurement techniques in fulfilling rigorous metrological standards for elemental calibration solutions. Furthermore, this approach enhances the robustness of the measurements in the field of elemental analysis and contributes traceability to the SI.