Update on biotoxin certified reference materials available from the National Research Council of Canada

Ingestion of shellfish contaminated with toxins can result in diarrhea, amnesia, paralysis and even death. Routine monitoring prior to harvest is essential to ensure that seafood is safe for consumption and is necessary for... [ view full abstract ]

Ingestion of shellfish contaminated with toxins can result in diarrhea, amnesia, paralysis and even death. Routine monitoring prior to harvest is essential to ensure that seafood is safe for consumption and is necessary for international trade. Testing for toxins requires validated analytical methods, certified reference materials (CRMs) and a rigorous quality system. This poster will provide an update on the biotoxin CRMs developed by the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), as well as the methodology used to certify these materials. There are two categories of materials: (a) calibration solution CRMs, which are critical for instrument calibration, and (b) matrix CRMs, which are important for verifying the complete analytical method, from sample preparation and extraction through to data analysis. NRCC has produced a wide range of hydrophilic and lipophilic shellfish toxin CRMs. Significant efforts have been directed at routine replacements and on-going stability studies, with some CRMs into the 6^th or 7^th batches. Work is ongoing to produce new standards for emerging toxins, such as the cyclic imines, as well as new mussel tissue matrix CRMs such as a CRM-FDMT1 for multiple groups of lipophilic toxins and CRM-PSP-Mus for paralytic shellfish toxins.