Development of a standard reference material for calibration of the University of Pittsburgh smoke-toxicity method for assessing the acute inhalation toxicity of combustion products

A standard reference material (SRM 1049) has been developed for the University of Pittsburgh smoke toxicity method. SRM 1049 is a nylon 6/6 and has the molecular structure of (-NH(CH2)6NHCO(CH2)4CO-)n. The SRM is for calibrating the apparatus and providing confidence that the method is being conducted in a correct manner and that the equipment is functioning properly. The certified figure of merit is a LC(50) value plus its 95% prediction interval which were calculated and found to be 4.4+3.4 g. The 95% prediction interval indicates the range in which the next determined LC(50) value would be expected to fall. Thus, if an investigator were to test the SRM under their laboratory conditions according to the specifications of the University of Pittsburgh test procedure and found the LC(50) value fell within the certified 95% prediction interval, the probability is good that the test is being conducted correctly.