New series of soil geochemical reference materials (GSS 10-16) from the main overburden region in China

Seven soil geochemical certified reference materials (CRMs) GSS 10-16 recently prepared by the Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration (IGGE), are mainly used for sample analysis in geochemical surveys of the overburden region in China. Fifteen Chinese institutes and central laboratories, which operated at a high level of analytical performance analysed these samples. More than ten reliable analytical methods based on different principles of measurement were adopted, of which ICP-MS, ICP-AES and NAA were taken as the primary analytical methods. In total, 23715 determinations were carried out, 5660 overage data sets were obtained, seventy two elements and components were determined and certified values of sixty nine elements and components were assigned. Rhenium concentrations were measured by isotope dilution ICP-MS in GSS-10, GSS-113, GSS-15 and GSS-16. Certified values of elements in GSS 10-16 have good precision and for 90% of these values relative uncertainties are less than 10%.