Forgot your password?
New user?
New Window Opens on the Secret Life of Microbes: Scientists Develop First Microbial Profiles of Ecosystems
CAS announces the release of SciFinder Scholar for Mac OS X
Press Releases
Press Releases
| Check out our New Publishers' Select for Free Articles |
Accreditation and Quality Assurance: Journal for Quality, Comparability and Reliability in Chemical Measurement (v.4, #11)
The quality approach and fundamental research: Working towards a constructive alliance (Part II) by Jean-Claude Petit (pp. 458-462).
An appropriate Quality approach in fundamental research should have its roots in the very principles of the "scientific method". Quality and fundamental research could thus reconcile at the condition, on the one hand, that Quality practioners understand and take into account the reality of the "science in action" and, on the other hand, that scientists improve their awareness of the new deal which is being made between science, technology and society as well as of the actual issues of Quality. A modern Quality approach, well adapted to this specific activity, should help both scientists, decision-makers and the public face the issues concerning the role of science in society in the future. In this context, I specify a number of practical proposals concerning, in particular, the adaptation of the requirements of the quality approach to the type of research, the distinction between the three major steps of a research programme (i.e. quality of the objective, the process and the results) and the encouragement of experience feedback.
Keywords: Key words Quality; Fundamental research; Practical proposals
The IRMM International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP) IMEP-7: Inorganic components in human serum by U. Örnemark; L. Van Nevel; P. D. P. Taylor; P. Robouch; P. De Bièvre; A. Uldall; M. Loikkanen; M. M. Müller; J.-C. Libeer; H. Steensland; K. Hellsing; A. Squirrell; L. A. Penberthy; D. Schiel; T. Tamberg; T. Walczyk; J. W. H. Lam (pp. 463-472).
In the seventh round of the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements' International Measurement Evaluation Programme, 277 clinical laboratories from 17 countries participated. The measurands consisted of inorganic components, present at minor and trace level, in a human liquid serum. Results for calcium, chloride, copper, magnesium, sodium, selenium and zinc are reported and are compared to reference values established mainly by isotope dilution mass spectrometry and neutron-activation analysis. The overall conclusion is that routine measurements of total concentrations of the components by clinical laboratories are of high quality. The fraction of significant errors is small (0.5%) and the self-declared uncertainty values are generally fairly realistic. Results are further commented on with respect to the recent development in metrology in chemistry.
Keywords: Key words Comparability; Traceability; Isotope-specific methods; Isotope dilution mass spectrometry; Neutron-activation analysis
Validation of an HPLC method for the determination of *-dichlorobenzene and naphthalene in mothrepellents by R. C. Díaz; M. A. Sarasa; C. Ríos; J. J. Cuello (pp. 473-476).
The determination of dichlorobenzene and naphthalene in commercial repellents used in Spain has been validated. This was done using an isocratic regime, to test the reverse -phase HPLC system with acetonitrile: water 65 : 35 (v: v) as the mobile phase, at 20 °C. This technique is proposed for the modular validation of the HPLC system . The results obtained with this method show good agreement with the results provided by the manufacturers of the mothrepellents.
Keywords: Key words Validation; HPLC; *-Dichlorobenzene; Naphthalene; Mothrepellents.
Is metrology in chemistry really special? by Rolf Muijlwijk (pp. 477-478).
According to the the European Commission there are differences between metrology in physics and chemical/biological measurements. In this paper it is shown that these alleged differences are only apparent and are not fundamental.
On the existence of primary methods of measurement by Wolfhard Wegscheider (pp. 478-479).
There is much discussion in chemical metrology about the definition of primary methods of measurement, just as a couple of years ago there was debate about its predecessors, absolute methods and definitive methods. It is argued in this paper that the designation of certain methods as being primary only makes sense if there is an outstanding property identified that is common to all primary methods, and not present for all non-primary methods. The aim to identify primary methods should not blur our notion that it is the good practice of analytical chemistry that produces good results, not a particular method of analysis.
Keywords: Key words Primary methods; Traceability; Uncertainty; National Measurement Institute
Accreditation of pathology laboratories in Finland by H. Aho; Pirkko Kociba (pp. 480-482).
The Finnish Accreditation Service (FINAS) accredits testing laboratories in all fields including medical laboratories according to European standard EN 45001 and ISO Guide 25. At the beginning of 1998, FINAS published a recommendation on how to apply general standards in histo- and cytopathology. Four pathology laboratories have been accredited to date. FINAS has not included autopsies in these accreditations. The International Academy of Pathology (IAP)-Finnish Division has recognized 21 pathology laboratories according to standards of their own. Although accreditation by FINAS is not connected to the system of the IAP-Finnish Division, the requirements are very similar in both. Less than half of the pathology laboratories in Finland participate in national quality improvement programme or have been accredited by FINAS.
EUROMET's contribution to metrology in chemistry: the subject field "Amount of Substance" (EUROMET/AMOS)
by W. Richter; Anton Alink (pp. 489-492).