PESTICIDE STANDARDS For Food & Environmental Analysis

Importance of the Topic

Reliable quantification of pesticide residues and their metabolites in food and environmental samples is essential to protect public health, enforce regulatory limits and maintain consumer confidence. Traceable reference materials underpin method validation, quality control and accreditation in analytical laboratories.

Objectives and Overview

This document summarizes Sigma-Aldrich’s comprehensive pesticide standards portfolio, featuring over 1 700 high-purity certified reference materials (CRMs) and analytical standards under the PESTANAL and TraceCERT trademarks. The offering covers neat compounds, single and multi-component solutions, matrix-matched CRMs, proficiency testing samples, isotope-labeled analogues and pesticide metabolite standards.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• All CRMs are produced under double accreditation (ISO Guide 34 and ISO/IEC 17025) and certified according to ISO Guide 35.
• Neat standards are quantified by quantitative NMR (qNMR) traceable to NIST SRMs.
• Solution standards are prepared gravimetrically using NIST-traceable weights and balances.
• Matrix CRMs derive from authentic soils, sediments and waters and include detailed uncertainty, homogeneity and stability data.
• Proficiency testing samples follow ISO 17043 and support periodic performance evaluations.
• Key instrumentation: high-precision analytical balances, qNMR spectrometers, GC–MS and LC–MS/MS systems.

Main Results and Discussion

• The portfolio comprises: neat pesticide and metabolite reference materials, CRMs in solution, fortified matrix standards, PT samples, isotope-labeled standards and metabolite neat compounds.
• Neat and solution standards are available for major herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, with individual uncertainty assignments.
• Matrix CRMs include a variety of soil textures and water types with certified pesticide profiles.
• Proficiency testing schemes cover drinking water, wastewater and soils, enabling laboratories to benchmark analytical performance.
• Isotope-labeled analogues facilitate isotope dilution mass spectrometry to correct for matrix effects and analyte losses.
• Metabolite standards support monitoring of degradation products and by-products.

By offering an extensive range of quality-assured materials, Sigma-Aldrich enables analysts to address evolving regulatory requirements and complex sample matrices.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Ensures traceability and compliance with ISO/IEC 17025.
• Supports method development, calibration and validation in food safety and environmental laboratories.
• Facilitates routine QA/QC and proficiency testing participation.
• Enhances quantification accuracy using isotope dilution techniques.
• Provides certified matrix materials to simulate real-world analyte conditions.

Future Trends and Applications

• Expansion of CRMs for novel active ingredients and emerging metabolites.
• Development of matrix standards for complex food and feed commodities.
• Integration of digital certificate access and automated calibration workflows.
• Increasing adoption of isotope dilution and HRMS for ultra-trace screening.
• Growth of proficiency testing programs to include multi-residue and high-throughput methods.

Conclusion

Sigma-Aldrich’s pesticide standards portfolio delivers robust, traceable and accredited reference materials that cover the full analytical workflow from calibration to proficiency testing. This breadth of high-quality CRMs and standards allows laboratories to meet stringent regulatory demands and advance pesticide analysis capabilities.

References

• Sigma-Aldrich Pesticide Standards Brochure, TraceCERT and PESTANAL, 2016.