BACKGROUND: This study was to develop a analytical reference material including twenty pesticides in tomato.
To use it for proficiency test, the suitability of homogeneity, storage stability, assigned values and uncertainty for analytical reference material were important.
METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to develop a analytical reference material of tomato for multi-residue analysis of pesticides, twenty-pesticides were treated in tomato and the samples were frozen and homogenized. The homogeneity, stability, assigned value and uncertainty were calculated according to the requirements of the KS A ISO Guide 35, KS Q ISO 13528 and EURL-PT protocol.
The values of the within-bottle standard variation(swb) and the between-bottle standard variation(sbb) were 0.9~6.5% of assigned value and the uncertainty(u*bb) due to inhomogeneity was also calculated as 0.6~1.9% for all pesticides. This indicated that it was satisfactory to be used as a analytical reference material. The storage stabilities of twenty-pesticides at room temperature and freezing conditions were assessed according to the requirement of the KS Q ISO Guide 35. All pesticides were stable at room temperature (20~30℃) for 8 days and freezing (-20℃) for 23 days.
CONCLUSION: The feasibility of analytical reference material for pesticide multi-residue analysis in a tomato matrix was investigated. Homogeneity of within/between-bottle, uncertainty and stabilities at room temperature and freezing condition were satisfactory for a use of proficiency test and quality control. From these results, a analytical reference material would be applicable to monitor the proficiency test of pesticide analysis organizations to improve the reliability and consistency.