Abstract: A stable oil-soluble metal sulfonate composition for use as an analytical standard for metal-in-oil analysis is provided. The composition is an equilibrium product represented as follows: ##STR1## wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, vanadium, iron, lead, barium, berylium, tin, silver, titanium, copper, magnesium and sodium; R, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are alkyl radicals containing from about 10 to 18 carbon each; Ar is an aryl radical; R.sub.1 is hydrogen or an alkyl radical containing from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; x is an integer equal to the chemical valance of M, and the ArR.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 constituent is further characterized as being oil-soluble and having an average molecular weight in the range of from about 320 to 720.

Abstract: A stable oil-soluble metal carboxylate composition for use as an analytical standard for metal-in-oil analysis is provided. The composition is an equilibrium product represented as follows: ##EQU1## WHEREIN M is a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, vanadium, iron, lead, barium, berylium, tin, silver, titanium, copper, magnesium and sodium; R and R.sub.1 are alkyl radicals containing from about 10 to 18 carbon and mixtures thereof; and, x is an integer equal to the chemical valance of M.

Abstract: This invention is directed to stabilization of analytic standards comprising (a) an oil-soluble metal sulfonate wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, vanadium, iron, boron, beryllium, tin, silver, copper, magnesium, or mixtures thereof, (b) a normally liquid hydrocarbon diluent and (c) a stabilizing amount of an oil-soluble amine compound.