Results of a Saxitoxin Proficiency Test Including Characterization of Reference Material and Stability Studies
Kirsi Harju,
Marja-Leena Rapinoja,
Marc-André Avondet,
Werner Arnold,
Martin Schär,
Werner Luginbühl,
Anke Kremp,
Sanna Suikkanen,
Harri Kankaanpää,
Stephen Burrell,
Martin Söderström,
Paula Vanninen
Affiliations
Kirsi Harju
VERIFIN (Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention),Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, A. I. Virtasen aukio 1, University of Helsinki,FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Marja-Leena Rapinoja
VERIFIN (Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention),Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, A. I. Virtasen aukio 1, University of Helsinki,FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Marc-André Avondet
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse 1,CH-3700 Spiez, Switzerland
Werner Arnold
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse 1,CH-3700 Spiez, Switzerland
Martin Schär
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse 1,CH-3700 Spiez, Switzerland
Finnish Environment Institute, Marine Research Centre, Erik Palménin aukio 1,FI-00560 Helsinki, Finland
Sanna Suikkanen
Finnish Environment Institute, Marine Research Centre, Erik Palménin aukio 1,FI-00560 Helsinki, Finland
Harri Kankaanpää
Finnish Environment Institute, Marine Research Centre, Hakuninmaantie 6, FI-00430 Helsinki, Finland
Stephen Burrell
Marine Institute, Marine Environment and Food Safety Services, Rinville, Oranmore,County Galway, Ireland
Martin Söderström
VERIFIN (Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention),Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, A. I. Virtasen aukio 1, University of Helsinki,FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Paula Vanninen
VERIFIN (Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention),Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, A. I. Virtasen aukio 1, University of Helsinki,FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
A saxitoxin (STX) proficiency test (PT) was organized as part of the Establishment of Quality Assurance for the Detection of Biological Toxins of Potential Bioterrorism Risk (EQuATox) project. The aim of this PT was to provide an evaluation of existing methods and the European laboratories’ capabilities for the analysis of STX and some of its analogues in real samples. Homogenized mussel material and algal cell materials containing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins were produced as reference sample matrices. The reference material was characterized using various analytical methods. Acidified algal extract samples at two concentration levels were prepared from a bulk culture of PSP toxins producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii. The homogeneity and stability of the prepared PT samples were studied and found to be fit-for-purpose. Thereafter, eight STX PT samples were sent to ten participating laboratories from eight countries. The PT offered the participating laboratories the possibility to assess their performance regarding the qualitative and quantitative detection of PSP toxins. Various techniques such as official Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods, immunoassays, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used for sample analyses.
