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Accreditation and Quality Assurance: Journal for Quality, Comparability and Reliability in Chemical Measurement (v.11, #12)
Optimization of analytical quality control for long-term monitoring of metals and volatile organic compounds in groundwater by R. J. Meyer; Denise K. MacMillan (pp. 599-609).
Statistical analysis of historical results for matrix spikes (MS), matrix spike duplicates (MSD), and laboratory control samples (LCS) from aqueous samples analyzed for metals and volatile organic compounds was performed to determine whether the MS/MSD provided substantive information apart from that provided by the LCS. The statistical analysis showed that the mean recovery of all analytes from MS/MSD closely approximated the mean recovery of all analytes from the LCS. Average bias, skewness, and kurtosis were also assessed for both data sets. The evaluation provided strong evidence for the use of LCS recoveries as performance indicators of probable MS/MSD recoveries of metals and volatile organic compounds from groundwater.
Keywords: Laboratory control sample; Matrix spike/matrix spike duplicate; Quality control
Evaluation of analytical instrumentation. Part XX Instrumentation for energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pp. 610-624).
The reports of this series tabulate a number of features of analytical instruments that should be considered when making comparison between various systems. Scoring these features in a rational manner allows a scientific comparison to be made between instruments as an aid to selection. This is the XXth report of the series and deals with instrumentation for energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.
Keywords: Instrumentation; Overview; Evaluation; Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Test for non-linearity concerning linear calibrated chemical measurements by Lutz Brüggemann; Wolfgang Quapp; Rainer Wennrich (pp. 625-631).
Linear calibrated chemical measurements are based on the assumption of linearity. Due to influences of matrices at real samples the condition of linearity can be violated. Therefore, a profound examination has to attach much importance on the linearity of calibration. However, different procedures have been applied for this purpose in literature. In order to examine linear calibration for non-linearity, a recently presented procedure is compared with conventional techniques. The associated statistical models and estimations are represented. The applicability of the different procedures is demonstrated in some practical examples, the determination of arsenic in surface water samples taken from different sites in abandoned mining areas in central Germany. Recommendations for using the indicators and tests of non-linearity are given.
Keywords: Linear calibration; Non-linearity
Quality of treated wastewater: method validation of AOX by S. Cherif; R. Ben Fradj; A. Jrad (pp. 632-637).
The reuse of treated wastewater and its release into the environment calls for a validated method for the determination of toxic compounds. We validate the method recommended by EN 1485 standard for AOX that are water soluble organic halides and describe it in two parts. The first part shows the validation by parameters such as applicability, accuracy, and reproducibility. After testing the normality of the statistical distribution of “the measured AOX concentration”, linearity, repeatability, limits of detection and limits of quantitation are calculated. The second part describes the routine use of the validated method.
Keywords: Validation; AOX; Adsorbable organic halides; Adsorbable organically bound halogens; Wastewater
Newton's Laws, Planck's Principle, and Metrology in Chemistry by Walter Bich (pp. 638-639).
This quasi-serious joke is an attempt to interpret human behaviour in terms of Newton's Laws of motion and Planck's Principle, with reference to the interaction of chemistry with “classical” metrology.
Keywords: Measurement uncertainty; Traceability
Vocabulary of terms in protometrology by Xavier Fuentes-Arderiu (pp. 640-643).
Protometrology is a new term recently proposed to designate the science of observation. As any field of knowledge needs a terminological system, in this article a system of terms and definitions on protometrology, with examples belonging to clinical laboratory sciences, is presented. This terminological system starts with the definitions of the two primitive concepts “object” and “property”.
Keywords: Protometrology; Observation; Property; Metrology; Terminology; Clinical laboratory sciences
Dynamic rather than static performance measures are needed to improve patient safety by Jan S. Krouwer Ph.D. (pp. 644-646).
Selected performance measures have been proposed to reduce clinical laboratory errors as a means of reducing medical errors. Yet, whereas this static list of measures are all quality-related, they are not all patient-safety related. For example, the specimen rejection rate is actually measuring a laboratory's ability to detect errors, which is a good thing. Moreover, a static list does not account for new errors or an improved error rate for items on the list. A dynamic list of patient-safety errors, informed by a FRACAS (Failure Review and Corrective Action System) overcomes these objections, since the list of performance measures is periodically refreshed by error data from the clinical laboratory. While new to clinical laboratories, FRACAS has been successfully used in the medical device industry.
Keywords: Performance measures; Pay for performance; Medical error; FRACAS
The Hitchhiker's guide to quality assurance by David Brynn Hibbert (pp. 647-652).
A report is given on a 2-day symposium “The Hitchhikers Guide to Quality Assurance” held in Brisbane Australia, in 2005. More than 100 representatives of field laboratories attended this educational exercise organised by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.
Keywords: Quality assurance; Traceability; Measurement uncertainty; Quality control; Education