European Reference Materials' groups and subgroups
European Reference Materials are organised into six different categories (groups) that in turn contain several subcategories.
Each group has been assigned a letter and another letter defines each subgroup in the main groups. The following table summarises the different groups and subgroups:
| General Category |
Letter |
Subcategory |
Letter |
ERM code |
| Non-matrix -materials certified for purity and concentration, activity |
A |
Solid or liquid inorganic compounds and elements (pure and solutions) |
A |
AAXXX |
| Gases (pure and mixtures) |
B |
ABXXX |
| Solid or liquid small organic molecules (pure and solutions) |
C |
ACXXX |
| Organic macromolecules |
D |
ADXXX |
| Isotopically labeled materials |
E |
AEXXX |
| Others |
Z |
AZXXX |
| Food/Agriculture and related matrix materials certified for composition |
B |
Potable water and beverages |
A |
BAXXX |
| Animal matter |
B |
BBXXX |
| Plant/vegetation matter |
C |
BCXXX |
| Processed food and foodstuffs not covered above |
D |
BDXXX |
| Animal feeding stuffs |
E |
BEXXX |
| GM materials |
F |
BFXXX |
| Others |
Z |
BZXXX |
| Environmental and related matrix materials certified for composition |
C |
Waters (river, sea, ground) |
A |
CAXXX |
| Waste, effluents and leachates |
B |
CBXXX |
| Soils, sediments, sludge |
C |
CCXXX |
| Plant/vegetation matter |
D |
CDXXX |
| Animal bioindicator matter |
E |
CEXXX |
| Fly ash, fuel ash, incinerator ash |
F |
CFXXX |
| Others |
Z |
CZXXX |
| Health-related matrix materials certified for composition |
D |
Human body fluids: serum, urine, etc |
A |
DAXXX |
| Human tissue: hair, bone, teeth, etc |
B |
DBXXX |
| Others |
Z |
DZXXX |
| Industrial and engineering materials certified for composition |
E |
Ferrous alloys |
A |
EAXXX |
| Non-ferrous alloys |
B |
EBXXX |
| Polymers, plastics |
C |
ECXXX |
| Glasses, ceramics |
D |
EDXXX |
| Minerals, ores, rocks, clays |
E |
EEXXX |
| Fuels, coal, diesel |
F |
EFXXX |
| Semiconductors |
G |
EGXXX |
| Others |
Z |
EZXXX |
| Materials certified for physical properties |
F |
Mechanical properties (e.g hardness, impact toughness, viscosity) |
A |
FAXXX |
| Optical properties (e.g. Wavelength and absorbance materials) |
B |
FBXXX |
| Thermal properties (e.g thermal conductivity, calorific value) |
C |
FCXXX |
| Morphological properties (e.g Particle size, surface area) |
D |
FDXXX |
| Others |
Z |
FZXXX |
Latest update 1 March, 2007