Proficiency Testing for the Gas-chromatographic Analysis of Procymidone, Chlorpyrifos and Metolachlor Residues in Soil

The proficiency testing for the residue laboratories of pesticide registration was conducted in order to improve the reliability and the ability for pesticide residue analysis. On October 2011 the testing was carried out using the soil collected and kept as the moistened state for five years, which is expected to very low residue levels of pesticides. The soil was fortified with chlorpyrifos, metolachlor and procymidone in a manner similar to prepare soil sample for indoor soil degradation test, and then sub-samples were prepared for the distribution to participants. Some of them were randomly selected for confirm of homogeneity and to ensure the stability of samples at room temperature. Samples were consisted of two soil treated as different levels, one of which was used to the assesment and another used to confirm. In addition, provide three standard solutions, respectively concentration of 10 mg/L, and untreated soil. Forty seven institutions submitted results. The medians of results were used as the assigned values for pesticide residues. Fitness for purpose standard deviation of proficiency test was calculated by applying 20% RSD as the coefficient of variation allowed in the soil residue test. Z-score was applied for evaluation of individual pesticides, and the average of the absolute value of the Z-score for the overall assessment of pesticides. Laboratories evaluated the absolute value of the Z-score less than 2 to fit the case of chlorpyrifos and procymidone were 44, metolachlor 40.