Spikkinäytteitä

Spikkinäytteitä, a Finnish term, translates to "spike samples" or "spiked samples" in English. In analytical chemistry and related fields, a spike sample is a sample to which a known amount of a specific analyte has been intentionally added. This technique is crucial for several purposes, primarily for assessing the accuracy and recovery of analytical methods.

The primary use of a spike sample is to determine the percentage of an analyte that can be recovered by the chosen analytical procedure. This is done by comparing the measured concentration of the analyte in the spiked sample to its known original concentration plus the added spike. The difference reveals how much of the analyte was lost or unaccounted for during sample preparation, extraction, and analysis. High recovery rates indicate that the analytical method is effective at extracting and quantifying the target analyte from the sample matrix.

Spike samples are also used to evaluate matrix effects. The sample matrix, which is the complex mixture of components surrounding the analyte of interest, can sometimes interfere with the analytical measurement, leading to inaccurate results. By adding a known amount of the analyte to a sample matrix, one can observe how the matrix influences the signal produced by the analyte. This helps in understanding potential interferences and in developing strategies to mitigate them, such as adjusting sample preparation or using matrix-matched calibration.

In essence, spikkinäytteitä are indispensable tools for validating analytical methods, ensuring their reliability, and quantifying potential errors introduced by the sample matrix or the analytical process itself. They are a fundamental part of quality control in many scientific disciplines.