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Material Measurement Laboratory / Chemical Sciences Division

Inorganic Chemical Metrology Group

Projects/Programs

Displaying 1 - 25 of 44
Photograph of a labeled amber bottle containing SRM 2429.

Activated Carbon and FGD Gypsum Standard Reference Materials

Completed
The role of mercury in the environment is now receiving close scrutiny because ultimately it can bioaccumulate as alkyl mercury in seafood with subsequent risk to human health through trophic transfer. Many industrial sources of mercury have been effectively reduced in recent years, but atmospheric
Photograph of three Standard Reference Materials of various soil matrices.

Certification of Three Soil SRMs for Inorganic Environmental Measurements

Completed
The three NIST soil SRMs, 2709, 2710 and 2711, have been used worldwide by hundreds of laboratories; combined sales typically exceed 800 units per year. Use of these SRMs provides our customers with tools that are essential for achieving quality assurance in the analysis of contaminant elements in
Photograph of a unit of RM 8027 Silicon Nanoparticles (Nominal Diameter 2 nm) showing a labeled box and ampoules.

Chemical Characterization of Nanoparticles

Ongoing
NIST has a broad research program spread throughout the major operating units aimed at building the supporting technical capabilities that U.S. industry needs in their quest to develop new nanotech products with desirable new capabilities and bring them safely to market. The Chemical Sciences
Photograph of titanium metal crystal with cubic symmetry.

Chemical Metrology for Metals, Ores, and Related Materials

Ongoing
In the arena of industrial commodities, the primary challenges are to provide measurement tools and reference materials that allow U.S. industry to establish comparability of measurement results to results obtained by customers, competitors, and regulators for the basic chemical properties of
Photograph of three labeled bottles of SRM 2855 containing low-density and high density polyethylene

Chemical Metrology for Polymers Manufacturing

Ongoing
This project is designed to strengthen the analytical capabilities of polymers manufacturers by introducing reference materials, critically evaluating standard test methods, and educating those industry representatives who participate in standards development organizations. Certified reference
Illustration of satellite sensing of sunlight reflected by buildings, roads, water and trees to assess radiative warming of the earth.

Climate Science

Ongoing
This program encompasses multifaceted efforts to advance the metrology of climate science. Projects include: development of ultra-high accuracy optical standards and technologies to determine greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentrations, atmospheric lifetimes, and aerosol radiative forcing development of
Photograph of a unit of SRM 3950 showing a labeled box and two frost covered amber bottles.

Clinical Measurements Quality Assurance Program

Ongoing
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established the Clinical Measurements Quality Assurance Program (ClinQAP) to support the measurement needs of the clinical community. Participants measure concentrations of marker compounds, contaminants, metabolites in clinical samples (e.g
Photograph of SRM 114r Portland Cement Fineness Standard showing labeled mylar bag and vial.

Continuing Support of Cement Manufacturing

Ongoing
NIST SRMs for Portland cement and related materials are the de facto world standards for validation of analytical methods for testing of cement for compliance with manufacturing specifications and for qualification of laboratories throughout the supply chain, including cement plants, construction
Photograph of SRM 2669 Arsenic Species in Frozen Human Urine, with vials and desiccant packs, and labeled mylar bag.

Development of SRM 2669 for Accurate Assessment of Arsenic Exposure

Ongoing
Arsenic exposure in the U.S. population is an important part of the NHANES program conducted by CDC because dietary exposure to arsenic can cause serious health effects. A major challenge in the arsenic exposure assessment is that arsenic exists as various species in nature, and the toxicity of
GC-ICP-MS Chromatogram

Development of SRM 955c Toxic Elements in Caprine Blood

Completed
Intended Impact Over the last three decades, NIST, with support from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and in conjunction with the New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) Wadsworth Center, has produced a number of frozen whole blood certified reference materials containing endogenous
Dietary QAP

Dietary Supplement Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (DSQAP)

Ongoing
Approximately 75% of the U.S. population takes dietary supplements, including vitamins and mineral supplements, representing an annual expenditure of more than $20 billion. Regulations, driven by reported cases of inaccurate labeling, adulteration, contamination (with pesticides, heavy metals, or
Dietary QAP

Dietary Supplement Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (DSQAP) Consortium

Ongoing
The objective of the DSQAP Consortium is to develop and evaluate measurement methods and standards to support quality and safety for the dietary supplement testing community. Approximately 75% of the U.S. population takes dietary supplements, including vitamins and mineral supplements, representing

Environmental Leaching of Nanoparticles from Consumer Products

Ongoing
New nanotechnology-based consumer products are currently entering the market at a rate of 3 or 4 per week, and it is estimated that $2.6 trillion in manufactured goods will contain nanotechnology by 2014. Unfortunately, the overall safety of short- and long-term exposure to nanoparticles and the
Food Nutrition Safety QAP

Food Nutrition and Safety Measurements Quality Assurance Program (FNSQAP)

Ongoing
As part of a revamp of QAPs in 2021, NIST established the FNSQAP to support the NIST Food Safety Program and Measurements and Standards to Support Nutrition Labeling. Participants measure nutrient components (e.g., minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, dietary fiber) and contaminants (e.g., toxic
Photograph of a labeled amber bottle containing SRM 2683c Bituminous Coal.

Fossil Fuel Standard Reference Materials

Ongoing
The regulatory requirements with respect to air quality and fossil fuel specifications are continually changing, and consequently the associated measurement needs of the fossil fuel energy industries also change. For example, in recent years there has been a dramatic reduction in the allowable
Circle with the logo of Health Assessment Measurements Quality Assurance Program initials

Health Assessment Measurements Quality Assurance Program (HAMQAP)

Completed
Participants in the HAMQAP measured concentrations of nutritional and toxic elements, fat- and water-soluble vitamins, fatty acids, active and/or marker compounds, and contaminants in samples distributed by NIST.   Samples that represent human intake (e.g., foods, dietary supplements, tobacco) were
Illustration with a stylized representation of an atom with electron orbits superimposed on a colorful periodic table of the elements.

High-Precision Isotopic Reference Materials

Ongoing
A new generation of multi-collector IRMS, utilizing both inductively coupled plasma and thermal ionization sample sources, is now capable of measuring isotope ratios with extremely high precision – a few parts in 10 6. This new measurement capability has caused a minor revolution in the use of
Map of the world, with six colors used to identify the six regional metrology organizations.

International Comparisons for Chemical Measurements

Ongoing
International agreements and decisions concerning trade and our social well-being increasingly require mutual recognition of measurements and tests among nations. The Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on national measurement standards and calibration and measurement certificates issued by NMIs
Photograph of a seabird with a spotted turquoise egg.

Isotopes as Environmental Tracers in Biological Specimens

Ongoing
Multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) provides sensitive and precise measurements of stable isotope ratios and can be coupled to a variety sample introduction systems such as laser ablation and gas or liquid chromatography. The versatility and performance of MC-ICP
Photograph of a unit of SRM 2668 with labeled box and frozen plastic vials.

Measurements and Standards for Contaminants in Biological (Human) Materials

Ongoing
The development of SRMs to support measurements for contaminants in biological fluids and tissues will expand quality assurance capabilities to important species critical to human health. We will provide SRMs that are representative of the analytical challenges that may be encountered by analysts in
Photograph showing labeled units of SRM 1649 Urban Dust and SRM 1649a Urban Dust.

Measurements and Standards for Contaminants in Environmental Samples

Ongoing
In 1971 NIST issued the first natural environmental matrix SRM for contaminants, SRM 1571 Orchard Leaves, with certified concentrations for trace elements. The development of SRM 1571 Orchard Leaves formalized the approach of combining results from "two or more independent and reliable analytical