Plant-matrix reference materials as a tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements  in geochemistry, ecology, agriculture and pharmacology

The population needs reliable information on the chemical composition of plants and products made from them in order to preserve the environment and its safety. With the increase in cross-border trade, there is a growing demand for traceable results of determining the content of chemical elements in plants and not only proteins, fats, carbohydrates, pesticides, moisture, vitamins, etc., which can affect the quality of human life. An urgent but difficult analytical task is to obtain reliable measurements of the elemental composition of agricultural and wild plants and various products made from them. Reference materials (RMs) are a widely recognized tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements. They are designed for certification (validation) of existing and new methods (techniques) of chemical analysis, certification studies in the development of reference materials, and professional testing of laboratories. The article lists the reputable manufacturers of plant RMs in which the content of chemical elements is certified. The ratio of certified, reference, and quality control samples of plant-matrix has been assessed. The classification of certified reference materials according to the type of plant material used for their food application is provided. The contribution of different countries to the development of plant CRMs is hown. The selection of plants for the development of new RMs is discussed from two points of view, namely food composition databases (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) and the ‘Reference Plant’ chemical fingerprinting (B. Markert). Based on the consolidation of studies devoted to the development and appliance of plant-matrix reference materials, a list of the most important requirements has been compiled for reference materials that ensure the reliability and comparability of the results of chemical analysis in the fields of biology, geochemistry, ecology, agriculture, medicine, and interdisciplinary research.

Download Full-text

NIST Reference Materials: Utility and Future

Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry ◽

10.1146/annurev-anchem-061318-115314 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 453-474

Author(s):

Steven J. Choquette ◽

David L. Duewer ◽

Katherine E. Sharpless

Keyword(s):

Reference Material ◽

Reference Materials ◽

Metrological Traceability ◽

Current Approach ◽

National Bureau ◽

International Commerce ◽

Us Congress ◽

Chemical Measurements ◽

The Us ◽

Over Time

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly the National Bureau of Standards, was established by the US Congress in 1901 and charged with establishing a measurement foundation to facilitate US and international commerce. This broad language provides NIST with the ability to establish and implement its programs in response to changes in national needs and priorities. This review traces some of the changes in NIST's reference material programs over time and presents the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory's current approach to promoting accuracy and metrological traceability of chemical measurements and validation of chemical measurement processes.

Download Full-text

Announcing the collaboration between the European co-operation for Accreditation and the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements: Improving the metrological basis of the European accreditation system for chemical measurements

Accreditation and Quality Assurance ◽

10.1007/s00769-002-0452-4 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 168-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

P. Taylor ◽

K. Brinkmann ◽

I. Papadakis ◽

L. Cortez ◽

M. Bednarova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reference Materials ◽

Accreditation System ◽

European Accreditation ◽

Metrological Basis ◽

Chemical Measurements

Download Full-text

Measurement and Standard Reference Materials in Clinical Chemistry

Clinical Chemistry ◽

10.1093/clinchem/14.10.929 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 929-943 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Donald S Young ◽

Thomas W Mears

Keyword(s):

Uric Acid ◽

Reference Materials ◽

Measurement System ◽

High Purity ◽

Clinical Chemistry ◽

Standard Reference Materials ◽

National Bureau ◽

Additional Component ◽

Clinical Laboratories ◽

Chemical Measurements

Abstract The concepts of the measurement system based upon four parameters—length (meter), mass (kilogram), time (second), and temperature (kelvin)—are developed. The proper daily operation of an analytic laboratory depends upon these basic measurements and others derived from them, e.g., the liter. An additional component of chemical measurement which directly influences accuracy is the purity of the standards and reagents employed. The standard reference materials program of the National Bureau of Standards provides a central source of guaranteed high-purity reference materials which are available to all. The reliability of chemical measurements should increase as new standard reference materials such as cholesterol, uric acid, urea, and creatinine are utilized to standardize methods and to calibrate instruments in the clinical laboratories of this country.

Download Full-text

Assessment of international reference materials for isotope-ratio analysis (IUPAC Technical Report)

Pure and Applied Chemistry ◽

10.1515/pac-2013-1023 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 86 (3) ◽

pp. 425-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 290

Author(s):

Willi A. Brand ◽

Tyler B. Coplen ◽

Jochen Vogl ◽

Martin Rosner ◽

Thomas Prohaska

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Reference Materials ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

Measurement Standards ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Technical Report ◽

Measurement Results ◽

New Instrumentation ◽

Isotope Ratio Analysis ◽

International Measurement

AbstractSince the early 1950s, the number of international measurement standards for anchoring stable isotope delta scales has mushroomed from 3 to more than 30, expanding to more than 25 chemical elements. With the development of new instrumentation, along with new and improved measurement procedures for studying naturally occurring isotopic abundance variations in natural and technical samples, the number of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials with a specified delta value has blossomed in the last six decades to more than 150 materials. More than half of these isotopic reference materials were produced for isotope-delta measurements of seven elements: H, Li, B, C, N, O, and S. The number of isotopic reference materials for other, heavier elements has grown considerably over the last decade. Nevertheless, even primary international measurement standards for isotope-delta measurements are still needed for some elements, including Mg, Fe, Te, Sb, Mo, and Ge. It is recommended that authors publish the delta values of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials that were used for anchoring their measurement results to the respective primary stable isotope scale.

Download Full-text

Chemical composition of plants associated with saline sites in Alberta in relation to mineral requirements for beef cattle

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas96-056 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 385-392

Author(s):

J. J. Miller ◽

B. J. Read ◽

D. J. Wentz ◽

D. J. Heaney

Keyword(s):

Trace Elements ◽

Beef Cattle ◽

Major Element ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

Major Elements ◽

Minimum Requirement ◽

Adequate Nutrition ◽

Chemical Composition Of Plants ◽

Zinc Concentrations ◽

Tolerable Level

Plant samples were collected from 102 saline sites in Alberta from 1990 to 1993 to determine major element and trace element concentrations in relation to mineral requirements for beef cattle. Zinc concentrations were most frequently (94%) below the minimum requirement for beef cattle, followed by Cu (92%), Se (87%), Na (49%), Mn (29%), K (21%), Mg (3%), Fe (1%) and S (1%). The element most frequently exceeding the maximum tolerable level for beef cattle was S (20%), followed by Mg (17%), Al (5%), Fe (5%) and Mo (1%). Beef cattle consuming plants from saline areas of Alberta are more likely to experience potential deficiencies than toxicities of chemical elements required for adequate nutrition. Key words: Major elements, trace elements, plants, saline areas, mineral requirements, beef cattle

Download Full-text

A general strategy for the voltammetric trace determination of tellurium in geochemical and environmental matrices after arsenic coprecipitation and critical assessment of digestion schemes

Environmental Chemistry ◽

10.1071/en19164 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 85 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marc Biver ◽

Montserrat Filella

Keyword(s):

Reference Materials ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

Certified Reference Materials ◽

Anodic Stripping Voltammetry ◽

General Strategy ◽

Environmental Matrices ◽

Hypophosphorous Acid ◽

Sample Digestion

Environmental contextAmong chemical elements classified as elements of strategic importance, tellurium is rapidly becoming an emergent contaminant. There is, however, no accurate and sensitive method for measuring tellurium concentrations in environmental and geological samples (e.g., soils, sediments), and thus it is not possible to determine whether an ecosystem is being polluted by human activities. This study provides a reliable answer to this problem. AbstractA general method is proposed for the determination of tellurium in environmental and geochemical samples. Samples may be digested by any technique (acid or fusion digestion). The tellurium in the resulting solution is reductively coprecipitated with added arsenite by hypophosphorous acid, and the precipitate is redissolved and analysed by catalytic anodic stripping voltammetry. Several sample digestion techniques (acid and fusion digestions) are critically assessed. The method is applied to ore certified reference materials, with tellurium concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude, and sediment certified reference materials (ocean, lake and estuarine). An overall limit of detection (LOD) of 5 ppb is achieved. Acid digestion by H2SO4 and by HClO4 or sintering with Na2O2 in glassy carbon crucibles are shown to be the most adequate sample digestion techniques.

Download Full-text