Combining and Reporting Analytical Results
By A. Fajgelj, M. Belli, U. SansoneThe Royal Society of Chemistry
Copyright © 2007 The Royal Society of Chemistry
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-85404-848-9Contents
Environmental Metrology: the Italian Approach M. Belli, 1,
Comparability and Quality of Experimental Data Under Different Quality Systems S. Caroli, 8,
The Role of Traceability in Sustainable Development: the UNIDO Approach O. Loesener, L. M. Dhaoui, 14,
Quality Assurance of Chemical Measurements — Metrological or Management Effort M. Prošek, A. Golc-Wondra, and M. Fir, 26,
Combination of Results from Several Measurements — An Everlasting Problem W. Hässelbarth and W. Bremser, 34,
Metrological Characteristics of the Conventional Measurement Scales for Hydrogen and Oxygen Stable Isotope Amount Ratios: The δ-Scales M. Gröning, 62,
Experience with Metrological Traceability and Measurement Uncertainty in Clinical Chemistry A. Kallner, 73,
Traceability of pH in a Metrological Context G. Meinrath, M.F. Camões, P. Spitzer, H. Bühler, M. Máriássy, K. Pratt, and C. Rivier, 85,
Determination of PCBs in Organic Solutions: An Example of Traceability Chain M. Sega and E. Amico di Meane, 92,
Quality Control of pH Measurements Considering Activity and Concentration Scales: Uncertainty Budget of Primary and Secondary Apparatuses P. Fisicaro, E. Ferrara, E. Prenesti, and S. Berto, 96,
Metrology in Complex Situations: Experiences with Thermodynamic Data G. Meinrath, S. Lis, and A. Kufelnicki, 104,
Some Traceability Problems in Analytical Assays of interest in Thermal Metrology F. Pavese, 110,
Developments in Uncertainty Evaluation: The Activity of JCGM/WG1 W. Bich and F. Pennecchi, 117,
How to Combine Results Having Stated Uncertainties: To MU or Not to MU? D. L. Duewer, 27,
Uncertainty and Traceability: The View of the Analytical Chemist A. Sahuquillo and G. Rauret, 143,
Propagating Non-normally Distributed Uncertainty — The Ljungskile Code A. Ödegaard-Jensen, G. Meinrath, and Ch. Ekberg, 154,
A Systematic Approach in the Evaluation of Uncertainty in Analytical Chemistry — Application to ICP-AES Analysis P. Carconi, R. Gatti, G. Zappa, and C. Zoani, 161,
Self-Referring Procedure for the Full Cell Calibration of a Dynamic Gas Devider R. Beltramini Boveri, 168,
Investigation of Uncertainty Related to Measurement of Particulate Organic Pollutants A. Cecinato, C. Balducci, A. Di Merino Di Bucchianico, 173,
Micronucleus Test in Fish Peripheral Erythrocytes: Variability in the Microscope Scoring D. Conti, S. Barbizzi, V. Bellaria, A. Pati, S. Balzamo, M. Belli, 176,
Evaluation of intrinsic Uncertainty in the k0-NAA T. Bucar and B. Smodiš, 187,
Reporting of Uncertainty in Environmental Monitoring of Radionuclides B. Varga and S. Tarján, 195,
The Use of Reference Materials in International Refeence Measurement Systems and for Comparison of Analytical Data H. Emons, 205,
The CSM Approach to the Calculation of the Uncertainty in XRF Analysis of Low- and High-Alloyed Steels E. Celia and F. Falcioni, 216,
Comparison of Different Approaches to Evaluate Proficiency Test Data A. Shakhashiro, A. Fajgelj, and U. Sansone, 220,
Distribution of Proficiency Testing Results and Their Comparability I. Kuselman, 229,
Inter-Laboratory Comparison: the APAT Approach P. de Zorzi, S. Balzamo, S. Barbizzi, S. Gaudino, A. Pali, S. Rosamilia, M. Belli, 240,
Proficiency Testing in the Biomedical Field: from Definitions of Targets to Use of Data from End-Users M. Patriarca, I. Altieri, M. Castelli, F. Chiodo, A. Semeraro and A. Menditto, 248,
Measurement Uncertainty Its Role in Proficiency Testing Scheme — Case Study ILC Waste Water M. Cotman, A. Drolc, and M. Roš, 263,
The Proficiency Testing of Laboratories: A First Approach to Implement Bayesian Methods in the Assessment of Performance R. Núñez-Lagos, M. Barrera, and M. L. Romero, 269,
The En, Uscore, and Accuracy Parameters — A Topic to Debate Em. Cincu, I. Cazan, and V. Manu, 275,
Collaborative Study for Pesticides Residues Determination in Water Samples (Method 5060 APAT-IRSA CNR) — Project 4b L. 93/01 M. Antoci, S. Barbizzi, B. Bencivenga, D. Centioli, S. Finocchiaro, M. Fiore, F. Fiume, V. Giudice, M. Lorenzin, M. C. Manca, M. Morelli, E. Sesia, and M. Volante, 284,
Gross α/β Measurements in Drinking Waters by Liquid Scintillation Technique: Validation and interlaboratory Comparison Data I. Lopes and M. J. Madruga, 294,
Improvement of a Radiochemical Laboratory Through Fourteen Years Participation in a Intercomparison Program M. H. T. Taddei, 301,
Subject Index, 307,
CHAPTER 1
ENVIRONMENTAL METROLOGY IN ITALY: THE ROLE OF APAT
M. Belli
Agenzia per la Protezione dell'Ambiente e per i Servizi Tecnici (APAT), Servizio Laboratori, Misure ed Attivita di Campo, Via di Castel Romano, 100, 00128 Roma, Italy
1 INTRODUCTION
The objective of environmental monitoring is to quantify the condition of ecological systems in spatial and temporal differentiation. The organized and systematic measurement of selected variables provides the establishment of baseline data and the identification of both natural and human-induced changes in the environment. Therefore, spatially and temporally measured values have to correspond to real conditions and not to different measurement methods. In addition, the environmental monitoring enables to guide the formulation and the implementation of environmental management policies designed to protect human health and well-being, which includes ecological well-being. In general, the objectives of environmental monitoring programs can be summarized as follows;
• to verify the compliance with national or international environmental quality standards;
• to provide a basis for the implementation of environmental legislation;
• to assess human population and ecosystem exposure to pollution.
To reach these objectives, both at national or international level, a combination of a high amount of environmental data are necessary, collected in different period and coming from different sources. In the case of data used to provide information on the status of natural values and threatening processes, and to determine the type and magnitude of trends over time in assessing long-term trends, quality assurance, high precision and consistency of data, are of the utmost importance. The same considerations are valid if the monitoring data are used to evaluate the pattern of environmental contamination across a country or Europe. In addition, the assessment of compliance with national or international environmental quality standards, is vitally dependent on reliable environmental data. In this frame, the analytical laboratories have a great role, as the results of analytical measurements may be the basis upon which economic, legal or environmental management decisions are made, and they are essential in international trade, environmental protection, safe transportation, law enforcement, consumer safety and the preservation of human health. It is essential that such measurements are accurate, reliable, cost effective and defensible to ensure that correct decisions are made. This requires data determined with standardized methods, measurement results traceable to national or international standards with a stated measurements...