CRM Mercury (Hg) - Aqueous calibration solution ASTASOL® AN8024N

Importance of the Topic

This certificate describes a certified reference material (CRM) for mercury calibration in aqueous solutions. Reliable calibration solutions are essential for accurate quantification of mercury in environmental monitoring, food safety, clinical diagnostics and industrial quality control. A well-characterized CRM ensures traceability to SI units, reduces measurement uncertainty and supports compliance with regulatory requirements.

Objectives and Study Overview

The main objective is to present the characterization and specification of ASTASOL® AN8024N, a mercury-based aqueous calibration solution produced by Analytika, spol. s r.o. This CRM is intended for calibration and validation of analytical techniques such as AAS, AES, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, molecular absorption and electroanalytical methods. Key aspects include certification of mercury concentration, evaluation of homogeneity and stability, and documentation of traceability and purity.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Preparation and certification followed a gravimetric approach ensuring direct traceability to the kilogram. High-purity elemental mercury (99.999 %) was dissolved in 5 % sub-boiled HNO₃ and ultrapure water (resistivity ≥ 18 MΩ·cm). Certified concentration and uncertainty were verified by complexometric titration using SRM NIST 928.

• Density determination at 20 °C: 1.0246 ± 0.0005 g/cm³ (k=2).
• Concentration: 100.0 ± 0.2 mg Hg/L (k=2).
• Trace impurities screening by AAS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS, all elements below detection limits for calibration use.

Main Results and Discussion

Certified mercury content meets strict uncertainty requirements for high-accuracy applications. The solution demonstrates excellent homogeneity and stability over the three-year shelf life if stored between 5–30 °C in the original container. Impurity data confirm that potential interferents are negligible and are provided for user information only. Detailed handling instructions minimize risks of contamination or degradation.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The CRM enables:

• Accurate calibration of atomic spectrometry and molecular absorption instruments.
• Validation of analytical methods for regulatory and industrial QA/QC.
• Traceability to SI units, reducing systematic errors in mercury determination.
• Consistent performance across laboratories due to documented homogeneity.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances may include multi-element calibration solutions, integration with digital certificates and blockchain for data integrity, and mini- or micro-scale CRMs tailored to emerging analytical platforms. Enhanced stability using novel stabilizing matrices and expansion of CRM portfolios for speciation analysis are additional growth areas.

Conclusion

ASTASOL® AN8024N provides a highly pure, stable and traceable mercury standard for diverse analytical techniques. Its rigorous certification and clear handling guidelines support robust method validation and reliable measurement outcomes.