title: Total uncertainty budget calculation for the determination of mercury in incineration ash (BCR 176R) by atomic fluorescence spectrometry.
abstract: The mercury mass fraction has been determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) in the framework of the project "Certification of a reference material (trace elements in fly ash) in replacement of BCR CRM 176". Calculation of the uncertainty budget, as described in this manuscript, emphasizes a practical and realistic approach to estimation of uncertainty components on the basis of statistical assumptions. GUM Workbench software was used, and resulted in a mercury mass fraction of 1.58+/-0.11 mg kg(-1) (with coverage factor k=2.2, 95% probability) related to dry mass, submitted in the certification exercise. The calculated total uncertainty budget applies to analogous samples analyzed by this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek, VITO, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium. kristof.tirez@vito.be
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tirez
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beutels
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brusten
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noten
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Brucker