IAEA Reference Materials

Reference Sheets

REFERENCE MATERIAL
IAEA-155
TRACE ELEMENTS IN WHEY POWDER

Intended Use  
    This sample is intended to be used as a reference material for the measurement of trace elements in milk products. The material can also be used as a quality control material for the assessment of a laboratory's analytical work, for the validation of analytical methods and for quality assurance within a laboratory.   

Origin and preparation of the material  
    The whey powder was donated to the IAEA by a milk processing facility in the former USSR. The material was produced from cow’s milk obtained from animals that had grazed on land contaminated with radioactive fallout resulting from the Chernobyl incident in 1986. 
    A bulk sample of approximately 500 kg (in 25 kg sacks) of whey powder prepared in a single batch was received by the Agency’s Laboratories at Seibersdorf. After a preliminary homogeneity test, the material was bottled into plastic bottles in 50 g units without any further processing. Subsequently, the samples were irradiated to a dose of 2.5 x 104 Gy using a 60Co source to ensure long-term stability of the material by inhibiting microbial action.
Date of Release:  
November 1990
Unit Price:  
50 €
Unit Size:  
50 g
Producer:  
Chemistry Unit 
Agency's Laboratories, Seibersdorf 
A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
Supplier:  
Analytical Quality Control Services 
Agency's Laboratories, Seibersdorf 
A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
Reference Sheet: IAEA-155(.pdf)

Analyte
Status
Concentration
[mg/kg]
(Based on dry weight)
95% C. I.
[mg/kg]
N*
Al
I
52.9
38.0 - 67.8
21
As
I
0.049
0.016 - 0.083
6
B
I
5.1
4.3 - 6.0
6
Br
R
39.1
36.1 - 42.0
18
Ca#
I
42100
40400 - 43900
17
Cd
R
0.016
0.012 - 0.020
18
Cl
R
69200
65900 - 72400
10
Co
R
0.043
0.029 - 0.056
16
Cr
R
0.59
0.51 - 0.66
28
Cs
R
0.086
0.071 - 0.102
9
Cu
I
0.57
0.46 - 0.68
28
Hg
R
0.0026
0.0015 - 0.0038
9
Fe
I
62
50 - 74
35
K
I
41700
35400 - 48100
25
Mg
R
3190
3060 - 3310
16
Mn
R
9.30
8.78 - 9.82
19
Na
R
15800
15200 - 16400
21
Ni
R
0.54
0.44 - 0.64
15
P
R
16200
15500 - 17000
10
Pb
R
0.104
0.071 - 0.136
15
Rb
R
39.2
36.4 - 42.0
18
S
I
3000
1600 - 4400
6
Sc
R
0.028
0.021 - 0.034
10
Se
R
0.064
0.051 - 0.077
9
Sr
I
10.5
6.6 - 14.5
6
Zn
R
34.3
32.8 - 35.7
54

Number of accepted laboratory results which were used to calculate the recommended or information values and their respective confidence intervals about the mean value.
(R/I) 
Classification assigned to the property value for Analyte (Recommended/Information)
# The information value for Ca was calculated from a set of selected results (for details see IAEA/AL/034, page 13).


The values listed above were established on the basis of statistically valid results submitted by laboratories which had participated in an international intercomparison exercise organized between 1987-88. The details concerning the criteria for qualification as a recommended value can be found in the report (IAEA/AL/034) "Report on the Intercomparison Run IAEA-155: Trace Elements in Whey Powder" [1]. This report is available free of charge upon request.    

Homogeneity  
    The homogeneity was evaluated by determining the content of up to eleven marker elements (Br, Ca, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P and Zn) using either atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) or neutron activation analysis (NAA) at a sample intake mass of 300 mg. The between and within bottle variability was assessed (on the basis of the F test, at the 95% confidence level) and indicated that the contribution due the heterogeneity of the material was small and therefore the material could be considered to be homogeneous for a sample size at or above 300 mg.  

Dry weight determination  
    All values are expressed on a dry weight basis. Therefore the dry weight must be determined at the time of analysis, using separate sub-samples of at least 500 mg dried to constant weight in a drying oven set to 105 °C. Subsequent weighings should differ by less than 5 mg.  

Instructions for use  
    The recommended minimum sample size for analysis is 300 mg. Analysts are reminded to take appropriate precautions in order to avoid contaminating the remaining material in the bottle. No special precautions are required for the storage of this material.  

References: 
[1]

Last updated 30 March 2004