Detailed uncertainty budget for major and minor ions in stock combined calibration standards—Influence of impurities in chemicals Original Research Article

A general methodology for a systematic evaluation of the uncertainty was derived for each particular ion in stock combined calibration standards in which concentrations of different ions extend over up to five orders of magnitude resulting in detailed uncertainty budgets with the aim of recognising the major contributions to combined uncertainties. This work confirmed that it is justifiable that the mass fraction of impurities in other chemicals is taken into account when calculating the mass concentration of an ion in combined calibration standard solution similarly to what is already common practice in accounting for the purity of chemical. It was proven that impurities in chemicals which are sources of major ions have significant effect on uncertainty budget of minor ions; already if the major ion exceeds 25 times the minor ionʹs concentration. For several ions it was confirmed that mass fraction of the impurities was the major source of uncertainty.