Mineral Oil Standard

From October 1st 2004 NMi VSL has taken over the distribution of the mineral oil standard from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). The mineral oil standard RIVM-LOC-001 was produced by RIVM in 1990 following a request of the former Dutch Standardisation Committee Extraction and measuring techniques for organic parameters in soil and water.

Background
The former Dutch normalization committee Extraction- and measurement techniques for organic parameters has prepared NEN 5733 Soil - Determination of mineral oil content in soil and sediments with gas chromatography. This standard describes the determination of the mineral oil content in soil by gas chromatography. One of the calibration samples to which is referred to in this standard, is a mineral oil reference material. The composition of this material should be chosen such that a real-life situation is approximated better than when applying a calibration sample of alkanes. To accommodate this need, the committee itself decided to have an oil sample prepared that would fulfil this requirement. Also, because no commercial oils were available that were of use.

Composition
The mineral oil is prepared from: 1 mass part Kuwait Gas Oil without volatile compounds < C10 1 mass part Agip Basis Oil HVI 60 It contains C10 to C40 inclusive, no volatile compounds below C10 and no additives. On June 7th 1990 at RIVM 20 L of the mixture were prepared and aliquots of 5 mL were transferred into glass ampoules. The ampoules and the remainder of the oil are stored at 4 C. Before filling up the ampoules, the air has been purged by argon gas such that the possibility of oxidation is small.
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Applications and use

The mineral oil calibration standard is used in chemical analysis according to: NEN 5733 Soil - Determination of mineral oil content in soil and sediments with gas chromatography, which corresponds with: o ISO 11046 Soil quality Determination of mineral oil content Method by infrared spectrometry and gas chromatographic method EN-ISO 9377-2 Water quality Determination of hydrocarbon oil index Part 2: Method using solvent extraction and gas chromatography, which replaces: o o NVN 6678 Water - Bepaling van het gehalte aan minerale olie met gaschromatografie, and DIN H 53 Bestimmung des Kohlenwasserstoffindex in Wasser oder Boden VVR-bundel onderzoeksmethoden diervoeder deel 2 Bepaling van minerale olie en dierlijke olin en vetten met behulp van GC met FID. The oil standard may be dissolved in Freon 113 (suitable for IR and GC) or in hexane (only suitable for GC). When storing the ampoules at a low temperature, flocculation of higher hydrocarbons is possible. Before use, have the ampoules warmed up (by heating if desired) such that the solution becomes clear.

Sales information:
Jan Westerhoud Phone: (+31) 15 269 1530 Fax: (+31) 15 261 2971 E-mail: SecMassa@NMi.nl

Technical information
Michel van Son Phone: (+31) 15 269 1672 Fax: (+31) 15 261 2971 E-mail: MvanSon@NMi.nl

Costs
The costs for one ampoule of mineral oil (5 mL) are EUR 76 (excl. of VAT and mailing costs).

NMi Van Swinden Laboratory P.O. Box 654 2600 AR Delft The Netherlands Telephone: +31 15 2691500 Fax: + 31 15 2612971 E-mail: nmi@nmi.nl Web: www.nmi.nl