Total uncertainty budget calculation for the determination of mercury in incineration ash (BCR 176R) by atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

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.