地质标准物质均匀性检验方法评介与探讨

评介了目前中国地质标准物质研制中样品均匀性检验与评价所用方法,包括:检测方法,统计判别模式,结果的定性、定量表达和最小取样量确定等。对照国家相关技术规范、国际标准化组织导则和国际地质分析者协会的地质标准物质定值协议,探讨了我国地质标准物质均匀性检验与评价中的难点及现存问题。     

Certificate of Analysis of the Reference Material BRP-1 (Basalt Ribeirão Preto)

Reference materials (RM) are essential to achieve traceability of measurements. Specific uses of RM in analytical laboratories are the validation of methods, the calibration of instruments, the quality control and the demonstration of proficiency. This paper describes the certification of a new geochemical reference material, named BRP-1 (Basalt Ribeirão Preto), and acts as the certificate of analysis for this RM. The rock sample was crushed and pulverised at the USGS (Denver, USA), homogenised and split into 1920 bottles, with 55 g each. BRP-1 was transported back to Brazil and the homogeneity between and within bottles was assessed to demonstrate sufficient homogeneity for certification. The chemical characterisation was performed by twenty-five laboratories. Each laboratory received two bottles of BRP-1 and one of BCR-2 (Basalt Columbia River) used for quality control (QC). Reference values and uncertainties were calculated for forty-four constituents of BRP-1, following ISO Guide 35 recommendations and the IAG Protocol. The calculation of each reference value included data of proven traceability from at least ten laboratories using two or more analytical techniques and the uncertainties combines the characterisation and between bottle homogeneity contributions.     

The Preparation and Characteristics of the Geochemical Certified Reference Material BEM (Emeishan Basalt)

A basaltic certified reference material BEM, prepared by Chengdu University of Technology, has recently been approved as a Primary Grade Reference Material (GBW07126) by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China. BEM was sampled from the Emeishan Basalts in China, which is one of the largest basalt provinces in the world. After successfully completing homogeneity and stability tests, collaborative analyses were carried out in seventeen Chinese institutes and laboratories and two American laboratories. More than ten reliable analytical methods based on different principles of measurement were adopted, of which ICP-MS, NAA and ICP-AES contributed 60.5% of all results. Fifty-four elements and oxide components were characterised as certified values, four elements as recommended values and nine elements as information values. A minimum sampling mass of 40 mg for most elements is recommended for use.     

Major and Trace Element Composition and Homogeneity of Microbeam Reference Material: Basalt Glass USGS BCR-2G

Major and trace element abundances in two different fragments of reference material basalt glass BCR-2G are reported. The data were obtained by ion and electron microprobe and represent both random point and profile analyses. Major and trace element abundances are constant within a few per mil and a few percent, respectively. This overall homogeneity is valid for scales of a few tens of micrometres to a few tens of centimetres. It is shown that the difference in the scatter of apparent element abundances is not due to chemical heterogeneity but reflects analytical uncertainty. Within error, the concentrations of both the major and lithophile trace elements in BCR-2G appear to be identical to the bulk dry weight abundances in BCR-1. Possible exceptions are the alkali metals.     

中国地质标准物质文献索引(1980—2010)

汇集了自中国开展地质标准物质研制与应用工作以来发表的中外文献和专著221条,制成按年代编排的文献索引(1980—2010)、按专题(综合性评述、研制成果发表、制备技术与方法、专题评述和专著)编排的文献索引和作者索引。最后对文献的年度分布、各专题和各类(岩石、沉积物和土壤;矿石矿物;贵金属;能源矿产;化学物相;生物、食品材料;形态、有效态;同位素和年代学;电子探针微区)标准物质的文献分布及文献的期刊分布和作者单位分布等作了简单统计。     

硅同位素标准物质的研制

本文所研制的硅同位素标准物质为：ＧＴＢ１，选用震旦亚界长城系常州沟组石英砂岩中的石英；ＧＴＢ２，选用上海试剂一厂生产的高纯二氧化硅试剂。２个标准物质均按国家计量技术规范统一标准物质〈ＪＪＧ１００６８６〉的规定，用ＳｉＦ４法进行了均匀性检验及定值分析工作。结果表明其硅同位素组成均匀，定值准确，并获得了ＧＴＢ１标准物质的δ３０ＳｉＮＢＳ２８（‰）为－０．０２±０．１０，ＧＴＢ２标准物质的δ３０ＳｉＮＢＳ２８（‰）为－２．６８±０．１０。经两年多的稳定性检查，硅同位素值无变化。     

Platinum-Group Element Geochemical Certified Reference Materials (GPt1-7)

Unlike the situation for other elements, few reference materials certified for the platinum-group elements are currently available. Therefore, the GPt1-7 series of PGE geochemical CRMs, prepared by the IGGE, represent an important addition and comprise a range of matrix types, including a soil, stream sediment, Mg-rich ultramafic rock, Fe-rich ultramafic rock, platinoid ore depleted in Cu, Ni and Fe, and a chromitite. The concentration of PGE in these samples ranges over 4-5 orders of magnitude and the samples were shown to have good homogeneity as assessed by a variance test. Analytical methods based on different principles were used in sample certification, including several fire assay and wet chemical procedures used for decomposition and preconcentration. Certified values for the elements Pt, Pd, Os, Ru, Ir, Rh and Au were determined by AAS, catalytic colourimetry (COL), catalytic polarography (POL), atomic emission spectrometry (AES), ICP-MS and NAA. Recently, the GPt1-7 samples were approved as national primary CRMs by the State Bureau of Technical Supervision of China.     

Off‐Mount Calibration and One New Potential Pyrrhotite Reference Material for Sulfur Isotope Measurement by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Sulfur isotope measurements in three sulfide (two pyrite and one pyrrhotite) samples on two epoxy mounts showed that the mount‐to‐mount variation of raw δ³⁴S values was negligible when secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analytical settings remained stable. In consequence, an off‐mount calibration procedure for SIMS sulfur isotope analysis was applied in this study. YP136 is a pyrrhotite sample collected from northern Finland. Examination of thin sections with a polarising microscope, backscattered electron image analyses and wavelength dispersive spectrometry mapping showed that the sample grains display no internal growth or other zoning. A total of 318 sulfur isotope (spot) measurements conducted on more than 100 randomly selected grains yielded highly consistent sulfur isotope ratios. The repeatability of all the analytical results of ³⁴S/³²S was 0.3‰ (2s, n = 318), which is the same as that of the well‐characterised pyrite reference materials PPP‐1 and UWPy‐1. Its δ³⁴S value determined by gas mass spectrometry was 1.5 ± 0.1‰ (2s, n = 11), which agrees with the SIMS data (1.5 ± 0.3‰, 2s) calibrated by pyrrhotite reference material Po‐10. Therefore, YP136 pyrrhotite is considered a candidate reference material for in situ sulfur isotope determination.     

New ID-TIMS, ICP-MS and SIMS Data on the Trace Element Composition and Homogeneity of NIST Certified Reference Material SRM 610-611

We present new concentration data for twenty four lithophile trace elements in NIST certified reference material glasses SRM 610-SRM 611 in support of their use in microanalytical techniques. The data were obtained by solution ICP-MS and isotope dilution TIMS analysis of two different sample wafers. An overall assessment of these new results, also taking into account ion probe studies that have been published in the literature, shows that these wafers can be considered to be homogeneous. Therefore, individually analysed wafers are believed to be representative of the entire batch of the SRM 610-611 glasses. Possible exceptions are the alkali metals (and a few volatile or non-lithophile trace elements). The analysed concentrations range between 370 μg g⁻¹ (Cs) and 500 μg g⁻¹ (Sr) and agree well with published values. On the basis of our new data and data recently published in the literature we propose "preferred average" values for the elements studied. These values are, within a few percent, identical to those proposed by other workers.     

Preparation of a New Geological Survey of Japan Geochemical Reference Material: Coral JCp-1

A new geochemical reference material, coral Porites sp. JCp-1 has been prepared by the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ). Provisional values for twenty one major, minor and trace elements are presented. The homogeneity tests showed that all elements studied are considered to be homogeneously distributed.     

Rhenium‐Osmium Isotope Measurements of Geological Reference Material BIR‐1a: Evaluation of Homogeneity and Implications for Method Validation and Quality Control

To evaluate the homogeneity of geological reference material BIR‐1a (basalt; United States Geological Survey, USGS) for Re‐Os isotopic studies at the 0.2–1.0 g test portion size level, sixty‐three precise measurement results of Re and Os mass fractions and isotope amount ratios were obtained over an 18‐month period. These data reveal that the reference material has higher Re (0.691 ± 0.022 ng g^?1, 2s, n = 63) and lower Os mass fractions (0.343 ± 0.089 ng g^?1, 2s, n = 63) than UB‐N (serpentinite, CRPG) and is homogeneous in ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os isotope amount ratio (0.13371 ± 0.00092, 2s, n = 63) at the 0.2–1.0 g test portion size level. The results are essentially consistent with previous views indicating that BIR‐1a gives precise measurement results for Re‐Os isotope amount ratio measurements at the 1 g test portion size level (Ishikawa et al., Chemical Geology, 2014, 384, 27–46; Meisel and Horan, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 2016, 81, 89–106). Based on these new Re‐Os data and previous studies, we propose BIR‐1a as a useful reference material that can be used in method validation and quality control and interlaboratory comparisons for studies dealing with mafic geological samples at test portion sizes of > 0.4 g.     

Investigations into the Preparation of Ultra-Fine Particle Size Geochemical Reference Materials

Although over recent years, sensitivity and precision of modern analytical techniques have continuously improved, traditional analytical specification for the particle size of samples has remained at 74 μm (-200 mesh). For this reason, the uncertainty caused by inhomogeneity in test portions of the sample itself has become a more and more significant contribution to the total analytical uncertainty. Therefore, to reduce this total uncertainty, the first step is to improve the homogeneity by reducing the particle size of a sample. For this purpose, we have investigated a method for the preparation of ultra-fine reference materials. Using the modern ultra-fine crushing technique (jet mill), six marine sediment samples MSAn and MSCS-1 to 5 were prepared and the particle distributions of these samples were measured using a laser particle-analyser. The average particle size of these samples was 4–5 (im and the largest particle size was less than 30 (im. MSAn will be used as the sample for a future GeoPT(tm) proficiency testing round and MSCS-1 to 5 will be prepared as reference materials. All geochemical laboratories are welcome to participate in this co-operative research programme. The processing and use of ultra-fine samples (< 30 μm) will have a significant influence on the future development of geoanalytical techniques as a consequence of the potential reduction in the mass of test portion and the development of new geoanalytical systems.     

CGSG系列标准物质元素分馏效应及主量微量元素单元内均匀性探究

探究CGSG系列标准物质(CGSG-1、CGSG-2、CGSG-4、CGSG-5)的元素分馏效应及均匀性问题有助于开展其质量评估和应用推广。本文采用电子探针(EMPA)和激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)研究了CGSG标准物质中的元素分馏效应、主量和微量元素单元内均匀性,并报道了主量和微量元素分析数据。结果表明,在50μm激光束斑下,CGSG系列标准物质的元素分馏效应可忽略不计。EMPA均匀性指数结果显示,CGSG标准物质主量元素的单元内均匀性满足要求;以MPI-DING标准物质为参照,LA-ICP-MS测试CGSG标准物质中的大多数微量元素的单元内均匀性良好。与已报道的数据相比,本文报道的EMPA主量元素数据偏差在2%以内;LA-ICP-MS主量元素数据偏差在5%以内,微量元素数据基本匹配,少数元素由于分析不确定度较大等原因,如Cr、Ge、Cd、As、Tl等与已报道数据偏差较大。总体上,本文报道的分析数据可为CGSG定值数据库提供进一步的补充。     

‘Box‐Profile’ Ion Implants as Geochemical Reference Materials for Electron Probe Microanalysis and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Although electron probe microanalysis and secondary ion mass spectrometry are widely used analytical techniques for geochemical and mineralogical applications, metrologically rigorous quantification remains a major challenge for these methods. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) in particular is a matrix‐sensitive method, and the use of matrix‐matched reference materials (RMs) is essential to avoid significant analytical bias. A major problem is that the number of available RMs for SIMS is extremely small compared with the needs of analysts. One approach for the production of matrix‐specific RMs is the use of high‐energy ion implantation that introduces a known amount of a selected isotope into a material. We chose the more elaborate way of implanting a so‐called ‘box‐profile’ to generate a quasi‐homogeneous concentration of the implanted isotope in three dimensions, which allows RMs not only to be used for ion beam analysis but also makes them suitable for EPMA. For proof of concept, we used the thoroughly studied mineralogically and chemically ‘simple’ SiO₂ system. We implanted either ⁴⁷Ti or ⁴⁸Ti into synthetic, ultra‐high‐purity silica glass. Several ‘box‐profiles’ with mass fractions between 10 and 1000 μg g^?1 Ti and maximum depths of homogeneous Ti distribution between 200 nm and 3 μm were produced at the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research of Helmholtz‐Zentrum Dresden‐Rossendorf. Multiple implantation steps using varying ion energies and ion doses were simulated with Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) software, optimising for the target concentrations, implantation depths and technical limits of the implanter. We characterised several implant test samples having different concentrations and maximum implantation depths by means of SIMS and other analytical techniques. The results show that the implant samples are suitable for use as reference materials for SIMS measurements. The multi‐energy ion implantation technique also appears to be a promising procedure for the production of EPMA‐suitable reference materials.     

Lead Isotope Homogeneity of NIST SRM 610 and 612 Glass Reference Materials: Constraints from Laser Ablation Multicollector ICP-MS (LA-MC-ICP-MS) Analysis

This contribution presents data for laser ablation multicollector ICP‐MS (LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS) analyses of NIST SRM 610 and 612 glasses with the express purpose of examining the Pb isotope homogeneity of these glasses at the ～ 100 μm spatial scale, relevant to in situ analysis. Investigation of homogeneity at these scales is important as these glasses are widely used as calibrators for in situ measurements of Pb isotope composition. Results showed that at the levels of analytical uncertainty obtained, there was no discernable heterogeneity in Pb isotope composition of NIST SRM 610 and also most probably for NIST SRM 612. Traverses across the ～ 1.5 mm glass wafers supplied by NIST, consisting of between 75 and 133 individual measurements, showed no compositional outliers at the two standard deviation level beyond those expected from population statistics. Overall, the measured Pb isotope ratios from individual traverses across NIST SRM 610 and 612 wafers closely approximate single normally‐distributed populations, with standard deviations similar to the average internal uncertainty for individual measurement blocks. Further, Pb isotope ratios do not correlate with Tl/Pb ratios measured during the analysis, suggesting that regions of volatile element depletion (marked by low Tl/Pb) in these glasses are not associated with changes in Pb isotope composition. For NIST SRM 610 there also appeared to be no variation in Pb isotope composition related to incomplete mixing of glass base and trace element spike during manufacture. For NIST SRM 612 there was some dispersion of measured ratios, including some in a direction parallel to the expected mixing line for base‐spike mixing. However, there was no significant correlation parallel to the mixing line. At this time this cannot be unequivocally demonstrated to result from glass heterogeneity, but it is suggested that NIST SRM 610 be preferred for standardising in situ Pb isotope measurements. Data from this study also showed significantly better accuracy and somewhat better precision for ratios corrected for mass bias by external normalisation to Pb isotope ratios measured in bracketing calibrators compared to mass bias corrected via internal normalisation to measured ²⁰⁵Tl/²⁰³Tl, although the Tl isotopic composition of both glasses appears to be homogeneous.     

Investigation of Thulium and Other Rare Earth Element Mass Fractions in NIST SRM 1632a Bituminous Coal Reference Material by Quadrupole ICP‐MS

Inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry after lithium metaborate fusion and digestion was used to measure the rare earth element (REE) mass fractions of several reference materials including NIST SRM 1632a, a historical bituminous Pennsylvania seam coal. While most of the REE mass fractions measured in this study were consistent with the published consensus data, the measured mass fraction of thulium for NIST SRM 1632a was consistently lower compared with the published data. Chondrite normalisation of the published consensus data for NIST SRM 1632a produced a positive thulium anomaly (Tm = 1.78), which is inconsistent with a terrestrial source of sediment. Normalisation of REE mass fractions collected in this study produced no significant Tm anomaly (Tm = 0.93), which agrees with the sedimentary depositional environment of coal. Therefore, a revised mass fraction of 0.16 mg kg^?1 Tm in NIST SRM 1632a is recommended.     

Production and Certification of the Reference Material GSB 04‐3258‐2015 as a 143Nd/144Nd Isotope Ratio Reference

A new certified reference material, labelled GSB 04‐3258‐2015, for use as a ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio reference has been prepared by the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing. Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China provided the certification for this reference material. This report presents the reference ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio and supporting production and certification procedures. The reference value was determined by an interlaboratory comparison of results from eleven participating laboratories using MC‐TIMS or MC‐ICP‐MS. The calibration of mass fractionation was conducted by using the exponential law, and the ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratios were normalised to the ¹⁴⁶Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio value of 0.7219. Isobaric interference of ¹⁴⁴Sm on ¹⁴⁴Nd was corrected using an interference‐free ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁹Sm isotope ratio value for mass fractionation. GSB 04‐3258‐2015 shows sufficient homogeneity and stability for use as an international isotopic reference material. The certified value was calculated from the unweighted means of the results submitted by the participating laboratories. The ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope ratio value for GSB 04‐3258‐2015 is 0.512438, with a combined expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of 5 × 10^?6. Reference material GSB 04‐3258‐2015 is available upon request from the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and may be used for accurate interlaboratory calibration of Nd isotope analysis.     

Fitness-for-Purpose of Reference Material Reference Values in Relation to Traceability of Measurement, as Illustrated by USGS BCR-1, NIST SRM 610 and IAEA NBS28

As in all fields of sample analysis, reference materials play a large role in supporting measurements in the geosciences. While a rather large number of materials are in distribution (> 380), not all are equally effective or fit-for-purpose in supporting laboratory data quality and thereby assuring the desired comparability of measurements between laboratories. Equally important, reference values that are not fit-for-purpose cannot be used effectively to establish traceability links between laboratory measurements and national and international standards. The needed fitness-for-purpose is not achieved for reference values either when more than one reference value has been proposed and a consensus does not exist among users as to which should be used by all, or when reference value uncertainties are too large in comparison to those of routine laboratory measurements. The focus of this review will be, first to outline the current reality, and second to suggest ways in which certifications of RMs can be improved to provide reference values that are universally accepted and more fit-for-purpose in general laboratory use. The discussion will be illustrated largely by current uses of USGS BCR-1, NIST SRM 610 and IAEA NBS28, as these three materials are those for which the largest body of newly published data exists, according to recent bibliographies of the geoanalytical literature published annually in Geostandards Newsletter: The Journal of Geostandards and Geoanalysis.     

MK‐1 Apatite: A New Potential Reference Material for (U‐Th)/He Dating

The (U‐Th)/He dating technique has been widely used for several decades to constrain the timing of low temperature geological processes. Recent research has shown that the commonly used reference material (the Durango apatite) often yields dispersed fragment dates that are beyond analytical uncertainties. Here, we report a new apatite (U‐Th)/He dating reference material, MK‐1, which was collected from the Mogok metamorphic belt in Burma. Electron probe microanalysis and backscattered electron images of two randomly selected fragments indicate that this apatite is chemically and structurally homogeneous. We performed single‐grain (U‐Th)/He dating on thirty randomly selected fragments of this material. (U‐Th)/He dating results from multiple laboratories show that fragments of the MK‐1 apatite megacryst yielded reproducible results, with a mean date of 18.0 ± 0.2 Ma. The Th/U ratio of this apatite is homogeneous. Nine randomly selected fragments registered a narrow range of effective uranium (eU) mass fractions (326–354 μg g^?1), with a mean value of 336.6 ± 10.3 μg g^?1. Twenty‐four in situ (U‐Th)/He dates yielded a mean value of 18.0 ± 0.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.41), indistinguishable from the results obtained by the conventional method. All the results suggest that this apatite has the potential to become a new reference material for (U‐Th)/He geochronology.