Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method
Published on: August 1, 2018
An Evaluation of Aerosol- and Liquid-Generated Silica Samples for Proficiency Analytical Testing
Terry Hayes1, Helen Parish2, Rosa Key-Schwartz3
1Analytical Chemistry Manager, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
None:
SRI International has prepared dynamically generated silica samples since 1980 for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) programs. Aerosol-generated samples were developed in 1980 to more closely approximate real world samples and to improve intrabatch precision. Liquid-generated samples may provide tighter control limits, and this method has been reexamined as the generation procedure of choice. Sample preparation procedures have also been investigated to minimize analytical uncertainty and, hence, obtain a true evaluation of the sampling error. Samples were analyzed by SRI, NIOSH, and the Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory, using X-ray diffraction or Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). Results were plotted and statistically evaluated, then compared to the existing PAT interlaboratory database.
Related Concept Videos
Sampling Methods: Sample Types
Solid samples include a variety of substances, such as sediments from water bodies, soil, metals, and biological tissues. Two standard methods for extracting sediments from water bodies are grab sampling and piston coring. Grab sampling involves using a device to collect a discrete sediment sample from the bottom of a water body with minimal disturbance. Grab samples do not always represent the entire area due to...
Sample Preparation for Analysis: Overview
Bulk or large solid samples are typically reduced in size using grinding, crushing, or milling techniques to increase the...
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab
Solutions containing organic solvents, such as low-molecular-mass alcohols, esters, or ketones, enhance absorbances by increasing...

