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not be posted on a public Web site. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html 1 Executive Summary The accuracy of chemical oceanographic measurements depends on calibration against reference materials to ensure comparability over time and among laboratories. Several key parameters lack reference materials for measurements in seawater, particles in the water column, and sedi- ments. Without reference materials it is difficult to produce the reliable data sets or long-term baseline studies that are essential to verify global change and oceanic stability.<br><br> This report identifies the most urgently required chemical reference materials based on key themes for oceano- graphic research and provides suggestions as to how they can be devel- oped within realistic cost constraints. Chemical analyses of seawater are uniquely difficult given the poorly known speciation and the low concentration of many of the analytes of interest. Analyses of suspended and sedimentary marine particulate materials present their own distinct challenges, primarily due to potential interference by predominant mineral phases of different types (e.g., opal, carbonate, and aluminosilicate).<br><br> Of all the analytical methods applied to marine waters and particles, at present only a small fraction can be sys- tematically evaluated via comparison to reference materials that repre- sent the appropriate natural concentrations and matrices. Reference materials are homogeneous, stable substances whose prop- erties are sufficiently established as to make them useful for calibrating analytical instruments or validating measurement techniques. High-qual- ity reference materials not only provide essential support for large-scale research studies, but also ensure accuracy of long time-series measure- Copyright © National Academy of Sciences.<br><br> All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html 2 CHEMICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS ments. In addition, with the advent of international oceanic data collec- tion and distribution, reference materials allow comparison of data sets from different oceanographic studies.<br><br> For example, since the develop- ment and widespread use of reference materials for oceanographic mea- surement of dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, it is possible to achieve excellent agreement among different cruises and groups as well as different times and locations. Reference materials have provided an important mechanism for oceanographers around the world to assess data quality and improve their methods. Comparative analyses of refer- ence materials create benchmarks for cooperative, community-wide development of improved measurement methods, without risking the stagnation that can result from requiring the use of particular standard analytical procedures.<br><br> There are presently large programs in operation 4and new projects being proposed 4to measure chemical constituents in the ocean environ- ment. These programs provide information on research areas such as: health and productivity of coastal oceans, sustainability of marine ecosys- tems, and predictability of climate change as well as other processes that affect the Earth 9s population on many levels. While some of the measure- ments made in these programs can be calibrated against reference materi- als, reference materials are lacking for many others, making it impossible to compare data over time and among groups.<br><br> These circumstances make the continued use of available chemical reference materials and the development of new reference materials es- sential. The National Research Council formed a committee in April 2001 to provide a comprehensive review of chemical reference material status and needs for those elements and compounds essential for investigating ocean processes. In addition, the committee was charged to provide ad- vice on the elements and compounds requiring the development of refer- ence materials and/or reference material improvement.<br><br> Specifically, the committee was charged with the following tasks: "compile from available sources a list of important oceanographic research questions that may benefit from chemical reference standards; "create a comprehensive list of reference materials currently avail- able for oceanographic studies; "identify and prioritize the reference materials needed to study the identified research questions; "determine for each priority analyte whether reference materials and/or analytic methods should be standardized; and "identify the most appropriate approaches for the development and future production of reference materials for ocean sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 The Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, held a workshop in September 2001 which brought together ocean chemists from multiple fields and agencies in the United States, Europe, and Canada to discuss the current and fu- ture needs for reference materials in ocean science. In addition, the com- mittee surveyed the international ocean chemistry community with the aid of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography to ascertain the community 9s concerns about needed reference material development. The interactions and the input from these groups allowed the committee to prioritize the need for chemical reference materials in seawater, sus- pended particulate, and sediment matrices.<br><br> Furthermore, the committee offered recommendations to the oceanographic community and ad- dressed social and educational issues. Box 1 lists the committee 9s recom- mendations for those reference materials that are needed to ensure the success of future global scale measurement programs as well as to further research in the ocean sciences on a broad number of fronts. Specific concentration information can be found in Chapter 6.<br><br> A limited number of reference materials have been explicitly devel- oped for ocean science: salinity, ocean carbon dioxide, and dissolved or- ganic carbon. Although salinity reference materials are available on a commercial basis from Ocean Scientific International Ltd. in the United Kingdom, the others are presently supported through grants from the National Science Foundation.<br><br> The widespread use of such materials and their success in enhancing the scientific return on related studies is clear, and it is essential that such materials remain available. In addition, the National Institute of Standards and Technology presently prepares a num- ber of standard reference materials that are of immediate use to the ocean science community. These include materials for 14 C (SRM 4990C) and 3 H (SRM 4361C) as well as 238 U, 234 U, 235 U (SRM 4321C), 230 Th (SRM 4342 4 presently out of stock), 226 Ra (SRM 4969), 228 Ra (SRM 4339B), 10 Be (SRM 4325), ocean sediment (SRM 4357), and river sediment (SRM 4350B).<br><br> Again, it is important to assure the continued availability of these materials. In addition, a variety of new materials are needed. Seawater reference materials are recommended for nutrients and for trace metals (especially iron).<br><br> There is an urgent need for a certified reference material for nutrients. Completed global surveys already suffer from the lack of previously available standards, and the success of future surveys as well as the development of instruments capable of remote time-series measurements will rest on the availability and use of good nutrient reference materials. The reference materials for trace metals 4 though initially characterized only for the important micronutrient, iron 4 should ultimately be useful for the analysis of the other metals and some dissolved organic materials.<br><br> The committee also recommends the devel- Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html 4 CHEMICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS Box 1 Recommended Reference Materials for Ocean Science Materials Recommended for Continued Availability: Currently available materials: 1.Standard Seawater ( Ocean Scientific International Ltd .) 2.Reference Materials for Ocean CO 2 ( NSF via Dr.<br><br> A. Dickson ) 3.Reference Materials for Dissolved Organic Carbon ( NSF via Dr. D.<br><br> Hansell ) 4.Various Standard Reference Materials from NIST (see text) Materials Recommended for Development: Seawater-based reference materials: 5.One certified for the nutrient elements: nitrogen (as NO 3 ), phosphorus (as PO 4 ), and silicon (as Si(OH) 4 ). 6.One with concentrations of metals corresponding to oceanic deep water, certifiedfor total iron concentration. 7.One with concentrations of metals corresponding to open-ocean surface wa- ter with an information value for total iron concentration.<br><br> Certified reference materials for radionuclides: 8.An acidic solution containing 238 U and 235 U with daughters in secular equi- librium through 226 Ra and 223 Ra. 9.An acidic solution containing 232 Th with daughters in secular equilibrium through 224 Ra. 10.An acidic solution containing 210 Pb with daughters in secular equilibrium through 210 Po.<br><br> Solid matrix-based reference materials:* 11.Freeze-dried culture of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana 12.Freeze-dried culture of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea 13.Freeze-dried culture of the haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi 14.Open-ocean, carbonate-rich sediment 15.Open-ocean, silicate-rich sediment 16.Open-ocean, clay mineral-rich sediment 17.Coastal, carbonate-rich sediment 18.Coastal, silicate-rich sediment 19.Coastal, clay mineral-rich sediment 20.Deltaic sediment (that has not contacted seawater) *Each of these solid reference materials should be certified for both inorganic and organic carbon concentrations, total nitrogen concentration, ´ 13 C of both the inorganic and the organic carbon components, and ´ 15 N for the total nitrogen component. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 Box 2 Additional Recommendations for Community Participation 1.The use of appropriate reference materials should be a key feature of the quality assurance/quality control structure in any future ocean science project in- volving chemical measurement. Reference materials use should be explicitly ad- dressed in the project planning stages, proposals, and publications. 2.It is essential to develop and maintain a searchable, user-friendly database that ocean scientists can access to learn about those reference materials that are of particular interest to their research.<br><br> 3.It is essential to encourage the presentation of short courses on the best way to use reference materials to ensure quality control of analytical measure- ments in conjunction with national meetings for ocean scientists. 4.It is important that round-robin exercises be organized using materials and analytes relevant to the ocean sciences and that laboratories be encouraged to participate, even at an early stage in their experience with the relevant analytical techniques. 5.It is important that the ocean science community be encouraged to investi- gate the various proposed matrix-based reference materials so as to establish their properties with consensus-based values for the concentrations of a variety of constituents.<br><br> 6.Proposal and journal article reviewers need to be encouraged to question the analytical quality control of measurements made without the benefit of refer- ence materials. opment of three primary reference solutions for radionuclides that will be useful for a variety of ocean mixing and biogeochemical studies. Particulate reference materials should be developed for three repre- sentative marine microalgae to further research on complex food webs, primary productivity, particulate fluxes, and ecological responses to cli- mate change.<br><br> The organisms proposed provide a wide-range of oceano- graphically relevant mineral, trace metal, and organic analytes and also represent three major marine matrices: opal, calcium carbonate, and or- ganic matter. Furthermore, they may be used to prepare reference mate- rials for the analysis of alkenones and photosynthetic pigments. Sediment reference materials should be developed for both open- ocean and coastal areas.<br><br> Open-ocean sediments should include carbon- ate-rich, silicate-rich, and clay mineral-rich types. Coastal sediments should be of the same types and should include a deltaic sediment that has not been in contact with seawater. Taken together with the algal- based materials, these sediment materials would represent a wide range of diagenetic states.<br><br> The committee recommends that each of these solid Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html 6 CHEMICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS materials (both algal- and sediment-based) be certified for both inorganic and organic carbon concentrations, total nitrogen concentration, ´ 13 C of both the inorganic and the organic carbon components, and ´ 15 N for the total nitrogen component.<br><br> In order for the ocean community to derive maximum benefit from the proposed reference materials, the committee made several additional recommendations (Box 2). Thus, it is essential for the oceanographic community to maintain and promote the use of currently available reference materials while continu- ing the development of new ones. Furthermore, it is critical that the oceanographic community devotes energy to educating its members 4 from students and scientists to funding agencies and journal publishers 4 so as to ensure the quality of future chemical oceanographic observations.<br><br> Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science Ocean Studies Board Division on Earth and Life Studies THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS Washington, D.C.<br><br> www.nap.edu S ETTINGTHE S TANDARDSFOR O CEAN S CIENCE CHEMICAL REFERENCEMATERIALS Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS " 500 Fifth Street, NW " Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.<br><br> The members of the committee re- sponsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with re- gard for appropriate balance. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Founda- tion (NSF grant number OCE-0096792). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.<br><br> International Standard Book Number: 0-309-08500-4 Additional copies of this report are available from: The National Academies Press 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Box 285 Washington, DC 20055 (800) 624-6242 (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area) http://www.nap.edu Copyright 2002 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedi- cated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr.<br><br> Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engi- neers.<br><br> It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engi- neering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr.<br><br> Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.<br><br> The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr.Harvey V.<br><br> Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy 9 s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal govern- ment. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad- emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering commu- nities.<br><br> The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M.<br><br> Alberts and Dr. Wm. A.<br><br> Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. www.national-academies.org Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html H This report is dedicated to the memory of our colleague John Hedges and his many contributions to oceanography and organic geochemistry. (1946-2002) H iv Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html COMMITTEE ON REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR OCEAN SCIENCE ANDREW DICKSON Chair , Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California ROBERT BIDIGARE, University of Hawaii, Honolulu JOHN HEDGES, University of Washington, Seattle* KENNETH JOHNSON, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California DENISE LEBLANC, National Research Council of Canada, Nova Scotia, Canada CINDY LEE, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York ANN McNICHOL, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts FRANK MILLERO , University of Miami, Miami, Florida JAMES MOFFET, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts WILLARD MOORE, University of South Carolina, Columbia EDWARD PELTZER, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California STAN VAN DEN BERG, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom Staff JOANNE BINTZ, Ocean Studies Board, Study Director DARLA KOENIG , Ocean Studies Board, Senior Project Assistant The work of this committee was overseen by the Ocean Studies Board. * Deceased July 2002 v Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html OCEAN STUDIES BOARD NANCY RABALAIS ( Chair ), Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Chauvin ARTHUR BAGGEROER , Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge JAMES COLEMAN , Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LARRY CROWDER , Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina G. BRENT DALRYMPLE , Oregon State University RICHARD B. DERISO , Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California EARL DOYLE , Shell Oil (Retired), Sugar Land, Texas ROBERT DUCE , Texas A&M University, College Station WAYNE R.<br><br> GEYER , Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts D. JAY GRIMES , University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs MIRIAM KASTNER , Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California CINDY LEE , Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York RALPH S. LEWIS , Connecticut Geological Survey, Hartford BONNIE MCCAY , Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey JULIAN P.<br><br> McCREARY, Jr. , University of Hawaii, Honolulu JACQUELINE MICHEL , Research Planning, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina RAM MOHAN , Gahagan & Bryant Associates, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland SCOTT NIXON , University of Rhode Island, Narragansett JON SUTINEN , University of Rhode Island, Kingston NANCY TARGETT , University of Delaware, Lewes PAUL TOBIN , Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Fairfax, Virginia Staff MORGAN GOPNIK, Director SUSAN ROBERTS, Senior Program Officer DAN WALKER, Senior Program Officer JOANNE C. BINTZ, Program Officer JENNIFER MERRILL, Program Officer TERRY SCHAEFER, Program Officer JOHN DANDELSKI, Research Associate ROBIN MORRIS, Financial Officer vi Copyright © National Academy of Sciences.<br><br> All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html SHIREL SMITH, Office Manager JODI BACHIM, Senior Project Assistant NANCY CAPUTO, Senior Project Assistant DENISE GREENE, Senior Project Assistant DARLA KOENIG, Senior Project Assistant JULIE PULLEY, Project Assistant ALISON SCHRUM, Project Assistant vii Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html Acknowledgments The committee would like to acknowledge the contributions and sup- port of its sponsor, the National Science Foundation.<br><br> This report was also greatly enhanced by the input of the invited representatives from govern- ment agencies with experience in oceanic reference materials who gave talks at the planning meetings: Don Rice, National Science Foundation; Adriana Cantillo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; John Fassett, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Scott Willy, National Research Council of Canada. Input was also solicited through e-mail from a broad cross-section of the marine community world-wide, with help from the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with pro- cedures approved by the National Research Council 9 s Report Review Committee.<br><br> The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its pub- lished report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Dr.<br><br> Richard T. Barber (Duke University), Dr. Edward Boyle (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr.<br><br> Thomas S. Bianchi (Tulane University), Dr.Katherine H. Freeman (Penn State), Dr.<br><br> Dennis A. Hansell (University ix Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html of Miami), Dr. Susan Libes (Coastal Carolina University), Dr. Steven E.<br><br> Lohrenz (University of Southern Mississippi), Dr. Jay Pinckney (Texas A&M University), and Dr. Thomas Torgersen (University of Connecticut).<br><br> Although the reviewers listed above have provided many construc- tive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the con- clusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Dr. Kenneth H.<br><br> Brink, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Appointed by the Na- tional Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were care- fully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.<br><br> Maggie Sheer provided valuable assistance with copy-editing. The artwork and cover were designed by Van Nguyen. x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Copyright © National Academy of Sciences.<br><br> All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html Preface Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science is part of an evolving body of work being conducted by scientists and re- search sponsors interested in ensuring the quality control of oceano- graphic data. Chemical data collected during ongoing and future global oceanographic studies and time-series efforts must be comparable over time and among laboratories.<br><br> A wide range of scientific opportunities will result from such long-term observations, such as a better understand- ing of the role of ocean chemistry in climate dynamics; also improved stewardship of the ocean 9 s natural resources. The large investment of time, money, and equipment needed for such chemical oceanographic measurements demands that the data collected be of the highest quality achievable. Chemical reference materials play a critical role in the verifi- cation of the quality of these measurements.<br><br> To this end, the National Research Council Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science (Appendix A) was charged with the difficult tasks of identifying the most critically needed reference materials, and recommending the most appro- priate approaches for their development. The committee gave careful consideration to keeping their recommendations within the context of current and future oceanographic efforts throughout this process. Committee members were chosen for their wide variety of scientific expertise and experience in production and certification of reference ma- terials.<br><br> In addition, members with proficiency in the use of reference materials for the analysis of trace metals, radioisotopes, nutrients, carbon, and organic matter were represented. The committee met on four sepa- xi Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html xii PREFACE rate occasions to discuss and to plan this report. One of these meetings was a workshop held in September of 2001 in Islamorada, Florida at which about 30 invitees from the ocean science community (Appendix B) listened to keynote presentations, and discussed which reference materi- als, if available, would enhance the ability of ocean scientists to address key research topics. In addition, workshop participants were asked to identify which materials they felt represented the highest priority for development and research.<br><br> Workshop participants, posters, and discus- sions helped set the stage for the fruitful committee discussions that fol- lowed. The committee also relied on written comments provided by workshop participants, on an email survey of members of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, and on the National Science Foundation 9 s report on the Future of Ocean Chemistry in the U.S. (1999), which set research priorities in marine chemistry.<br><br> As this report went to press, the committee was saddened by the unexpected death of a committee member, Dr. John Hedges. Dr.<br><br> Hedges 9 extensive and thoughtful input to this report reflected his deep interest in this topic and his hopes that this report would meaningfully further the use of reference materials in the ocean sciences. His death is a great loss to the many individuals who knew him personally and to the chemical oceanography community as a whole. Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science Copyright © National Academy of Sciences.<br><br> All rights reserved. This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1 1INTRODUCTION7 Background to the Study, 7 Benefits of Chemical Reference Materials to Ocean Science, 11 Report Structure, 14 2IMPROVING CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA17 Matrix Dependence of Reference Materials, 17 How Reference Materials Work, 18 Limitations of Reference Materials, 20 Benefits of Reference Materials, 22 3SEAWATER29 Nutrients, 29 Trace Metals, 33 Radionuclides, 37 Carbon Isotopes in Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), 41 Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM), 43 Dissolved Gases, 46 xiii Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.<br><br> This executive summary plus thousands more available at http://www.nap.edu Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10476.html 4CHEMICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PARTICULATE AND SEDIMENT SAMPLES47 Rationale for Sediment and Particulate Matter Analysis, 47 Influence of Matrix Composition on Chemical Determinations, 57 Reference Materials Currently Available for the Analysis of Sediment and Particulate Samples, 66 Recommended Reference Materials, 72 Potential Long-Term Needs for Additional Reference Materials, 75 5PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS77 Introduction, 77 Requirements of Reference Materials, 78 Reference Material and Certified Reference Material Production, 78 Methods Employed to Characterize Reference Materials and Certified Reference Materials, 81 Preparation of Recommended New Reference Materials and Certified Reference Materials for Ocean Science, 82 Costs of Producing and Distributing Reference Materials and Certified Reference Materials, 85 A Strategy for the Production of New Reference Materials for the Ocean Sciences, 86 Education, 87 6 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS89 Recommendations for Reference Materials for Ocean Science, 90 Recommendations for Community Participation, 95 Statement of Top Priorities, 96 REFERENCES CITED99 APPENDIXES ACOMMITTEE AND STAFF BIOGRAPHIES111 BWORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS115 CGLOSSARY116 DACRONYM LIST AND CHEMICAL TERMINOLOGY122 EREFERENCE MATERIALS LISTED WITHIN THIS REPORT126 xiv CONTENTS

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