Reference materials in analytical chemistry

It is fascinating to consider that standardisation and measurements are deeply rooted in human culture since the dawn of civilization. Two particularly interesting verses in Leviticus are in fact directly linked to standardisation. They say, “You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah*, and a just hin*, shall you have” [1]. The current topical collection on Reference Materials in Analytical Chemistry is also dealing with the integrity and realisation of correct measurement results albeit in a modern context. As we all know, the purpose and use of (matrix) Certified Reference Materials (CRMs), is indeed that they are indispensable tools for an objective assessment of the correctness of measurements. Ten years have now passed since Hendrik Emons and Stephen Wise compiled a topical collection on Reference Materials for Chemical Analysis published in this journal [2]. The field, materials/matrices and analytical techniques are ever evolving and it is therefore about time to present another topical collection on Reference Materials in Analytical Chemistry. Nowadays, Analytical Chemistry has become a broad aggregate of methodologies and techniques from chemistry, physics and biology [3]. In that respect, the current topical collection of papers is a clear testimony to that (continuous) development. The applied analytical techniques span from DNA-based methods through LC-MS/MS, NMR to ICP-MS and other elemental techniques. In addition, since Reference Material Production is generic with respect to the mandatory tests of homogeneity, stability and characterisation, there is virtually no limit of the scope of combinations between matrices/materials and analytical techniques. The breadth of scope makes RM-production an enormous field of different applications addressing different measurement challenges which can also be concluded from the contents of this topical collection. The different building blocks, from RM-conception, material processing, specific tests (e.g. homogeneity and stability) to characterisation require specialised knowledge for each of them. Novel and emerging measurement methods certainly also play a role in new RM-developments, although characterisation based on inter-laboratory comparisons are “trapped” in the so-called RM/method causality dilemma whereby both material preparations and methods must develop hand in hand in a step-wise fashion [4].

EMTEBORG Hakan; 

2025-12-01

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

JRC141382

1618-2650 (online),   

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-05821-3,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141382,   

10.1007/s00216-025-05821-3 (online),