Since 2003 the STS/ODF chemistry lab has been In collaboration with the Meteorological Research Institute, Japan (MRI) on the International Oceanographic Committee Study Group on Nutrient Standards (SGONS). Goals and accomplishments of this work include:
Complete certification by MRI of RMNS for nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and silicate.
International exercises to verify the stability of the reference materials and test the proficiency of the new protocols.
Publication of a revised nutrients analysis manual.
Promote the use of RMNS to aim for global acceptance in order to enable reliable comparability between global nutrient data sets.
Encourage collaborations with communities of chemical reference materials for ocean sciences such as carbonate system reference materials for DIC, TA and pH, and also for dissolved oxygen in seawater.