ISSN: 1546-962X
CODEN: JAIOAD
Published Online: 5 April 2006
Page Count: 7

An Evaluation of Aerosol- and Liquid-Generated Silica Samples for Proficiency Analytical Testing

Hayes, T
Analytical Chemistry Manager, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA

Parish, H
Senior Director, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA

Key-Schwartz, R
Research Chemist, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Alice Hamilton Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH

Popp, D
QC Coordinator, Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI

(Received 29 April 2004; accepted 11 January 2006)

Abstract

SRI International has prepared dynamically generated silica samples since 1980 for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) programs. Aerosol-generated samples were developed in 1980 to more closely approximate real world samples and to improve intrabatch precision. Liquid-generated samples may provide tighter control limits, and this method has been reexamined as the generation procedure of choice. Sample preparation procedures have also been investigated to minimize analytical uncertainty and, hence, obtain a true evaluation of the sampling error. Samples were analyzed by SRI, NIOSH, and the Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory, using X-ray diffraction or Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). Results were plotted and statistically evaluated, then compared to the existing PAT interlaboratory database.

Keywords:
proficiency analytical testing, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), silica, aerosol-generation, liquid-generation

Paper ID: JAI12243
DOI: 10.1520/JAI12243
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