Development of Reference Materials of Benzoic and Sorbic Acids

The article introduces the development of reference materials of benzoic and sorbic acids with a certified value of the mass fraction of the main substance. The development of reference materials was carried out in several stages: identification, characterization, study of homogeneity and stability of reference materials. Identification of candidate materials for reference materials was carried out by IR Fourier spectroscopy and determination of melting point by differential thermal analysis. The candidate materials for reference materials were characterized by the indirect method «one hundred minus the sum of impurities» with confirmation of the measurement results by the direct method – the acid-base titration method. It was established that the measurement results of the mass fraction of the main substance of benzoic and sorbic acids obtained by the acid-base titration method and the mass balance method are consistent with each other taking into account the values of expanded uncertainties. The work was carried out using primary and secondary standards. The accuracy of the measurement results of the mass fraction of the main substance was increased by searching for and selecting optimal measurement modes when determining each type of impurity. The homogeneity of materials was determined using the one-way analysis of variance method; stability was determined using the regression analysis method.

The developed reference materials of benzoic and sorbic acids were included in the Federal Information Fund for Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements as GSO 12297–2023 and GSO 12298–2023. The certified value of the mass fraction of the main substance is in the range from 95.00 to 100.00 %, the limits of the permissible values of the absolute error at P = 0.95 are ± 0.5 %.

The use of GSO 12297–2023 and GSO 12298–2023 for certification and control of the accuracy of methods, establishment and control of the stability of calibration characteristics of measuring instruments, verification, calibration of measuring instruments can improve the quality of food products, food raw materials and pharmaceuticals.

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