GGR Biennial Review: Reference Materials in Geoanalytical and Environmental Research - Review for 2008 and 2009

This review gives an overview of the literature on reference materials of geochemical and environmental interest for the two-year period 2008-2009. Reference materials play an increasingly important role in all fields of geoanalytical research. This is demonstrated by the large number of publications containing data on reference materials. Although many reference materials exist, there is still a great need for certified samples, so-called delta zero materials for stable isotopic work and homogeneous microanalytical reference materials. This review focuses on six topics: developments of certification processes of reference materials mainly postulated in ISO guidelines and the IAG protocol, new developments of the GeoReM database, investigations of powdered rock reference materials, Chinese reference materials published in Chinese journals, microanalytical reference materials and isotopic reference materials.