NIST issues human milk and blood serum SRMs for contaminant measurements

		IMAGE: The new NIST Standard Reference Materials for organic contaminants in human body fluids reflect changes in contaminant levels since the last materials were issued in 2000 -- levels of PCBs,... Click here for more information.

Responding to scientists' need to measure organic contaminants in human body fluids, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently made four new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) available for purchase. Developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the human milk and serum SRMs have certified levels of contaminants, including flame retardants and pesticides, commonly found in the U.S. population. Scientists at the CDC and other laboratories will use the SRMs as controls in their experiments to ensure their methods are providing trustworthy results.