Accreditation in analytical laboratories: a critical assessment of its impact on human beings and techniques

Summary The relationships between Quality, Quality Assurance and Third Party Approval by accreditation based on formal application of EN 29002, EN 45001 and ISO Guide 25 are briefly outlined for analytical chemical laboratories working in the non-regulated area. The roles of human beings in laboratories and accreditation bodies are discussed and recommendations are made on how to minimize friction during accreditation processes. The structures of the European Accreditation Systems are reviewed and the efforts towards mutual recognition of the national accreditation bodies are described and critically assessed. The lack of competition based on free market conditions in the framework of company law is deplored. The assessment of laboratory systems, rather than assessing the activity of laboratories against technical standards, is recommended (unless it is otherwise requested). The beneficial effects of the process of accreditation on competence and quality of the activity of the laboratory are emphasized.     

Computer aided conversion of repeatability into trueness as applied to inorganic analytical chemistry

Based on the accepted definition of accuracy in analytical chemistry the distinction between accuracy and trueness is discussed and the superiority of trueness to accuracy in the hierarchy of terms is stressed.An updated model describing trueness of an analytical result is proposed and the process of analytical recognition is also considered. This model allows for determination of trueness from the repeatability of the method when applied under well defined working conditions, and thereby complies with the legal criteria of quality assurance. A strict division of analytical working methods is made:

Zur Bestimmung kleiner Mengen von Niob mit 4-(2-Pyridylazo)-resorcin und von Zirkonium mit Brenzcatechinviolett in Stahl

Zusammenfassung Zur Bestimmung von Niob unter 0,06% und Zirkonium unter 0,1% in unlegiertem Stahl wird die Hauptmenge Eisen mit Methylisobutylketon aus 7 N HCl-Lösung abgetrennt. Niob wird bei pH 5,8 durch Komplexbildung mit 4-(2-Pyridylazo)-resorcin und Zirkonium bei pH 5,2 mit Brenzcatechinviolett bestimmt. Die Störungen durch andere Ionen werden durch Zugabe von ÄDTE verhindert und bei der Zirkoniumbestimmung teilweise durch Entfärben des gebildeten Komplexes mit Fluorwasserstoffsäure umgangen. Die erzielte Genauigkeit und der erforderliche Zeitbedarf sind in den Tabellen angegeben.

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Summary For the determination of niobium below 0.06% and of zirconium below 0.1% in plain carbon steels most of the iron is extracted by means of MIBK from 7 N HCl solution. Niobium is determined at pH 5.8 with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol and zirkonium at pH 5.2 with pyrocatechol violet by the formation of complexes. Interferences from other ions are prevented by the addition of EDTA and in the case of zirconium farther avoided by bleaching the complex with hydrofluoric acid. The accuracy obtained and the time required are reported in the tables.

     

Self‐assembled Monolayers of Alkylphosphonic Acids on Aluminum Oxide Surfaces – A Theoretical Study

Density‐functional based calculations were used to investigate self‐assembled monolayers of different alkylphosphonic acids on corundum α‐Al₂O₃ (0001), bayerite β‐Al(OH)₃ (001) and boehmite γ‐AlOOH (010) surface models. Mono‐, bi‐, and tridentate adsorption modes were considered. In addition, the organization of single adsorbed molecules was compared to the organization at full surface coverage. The height (thickness) of the self‐assembled monolayers is always shorter than the length of the phosphonic acid molecules due to tilting of the alkyl chains. Tilt angles at full surface coverage are very similar to the tilt angle of a single adsorbed molecule, which indicates that the density of the self‐assembled monolayers is limited by the density of adsorption sites. The lateral interactions between alkyl chains are evidenced by small torsions of the adsorbed molecules, which may serve to minimize the repulsion forces between interchain hydrogen atoms. Similar tilt angles were obtained for mono‐, bi‐, and tridentate adsorptions. Hence, the coordination mode cannot be characterized by the molecule tilting.     

Motif Reconstruction in Clusters and Layers: Benchmarks for the Kawska–Zahn Approach to Model Crystal Formation

A recently developed atomistic simulation scheme for investigating ion aggregation from solution is transferred to the morphogenesis of metal clusters grown from the vapor and layers deposited on a substrate surface. Both systems are chosen as benchmark models for intense motif reorganization during aggregate/layer growth. The applied simulation method does not necessarily involve global energy minimization after each growth event, but instead describes crystal growth as a series of structurally related configurations which may also include local energy minima. Apart from the particularly favorable high‐symmetry configurations known from experiments and global energy minimization, we also demonstrate the investigation of transient structures. In the spirit of Ostwald’s step rule, a continuous evolution of the aggregate/layer structure during crystal growth is observed.     

High-pressure in situ 129Xe NMR spectroscopy and computer simulations of breathing transitions in the metal-organic framework Ni2(2,6-ndc)2(dabco) (DUT-8(Ni))

Recently, we have described the metal-organic framework Ni(2)(2,6-ndc)(2)(dabco), denoted as DUT-8(Ni) (1) (DUT = Dresden University of Technology, 2,6-ndc = 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate, dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane). Upon adsorption of molecules such as nitrogen and xenon, this material exhibits a pronounced gate-pressure effect which is accompanied by a large change of the specific volume. Here, we describe the use of high-pressure in situ (129)Xe NMR spectroscopy, i.e., the NMR spectroscopic measurements of xenon adsorption/desorption isotherms and isobars, to characterize this effect. It appears that the pore system of DUT-8(Ni) takes up xenon until a liquid-like state is reached. Deeper insight into the interactions between the host DUT-8(Ni) and the guest atom xenon is gained from ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. van der Waals interactions are included for the first time in these calculations on a metal-organic framework compound. MD simulations allow the identification of preferred adsorption sites for xenon as well as insight into the breathing effect at a molecular scale. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations have been performed in order to simulate adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the favorable influence of a sample pretreatment using solvent exchange and drying with supercritical CO(2) as well as the influence of repeated pore opening/closure processes, i.e., the "aging behavior" of the compound, can be visualized by (129)Xe NMR spectroscopy.     

Zur Optimierung der emissionsspektrometrischen Mineralienanalyse

Zusammenfassung Nach der Diskussion verschiedener Methoden zur schnellen Analyse mineralischer Stoffe mit der Emissionsspektrometrie im lichtoptischen Bereich wird über Verbesserungen an einem Verfahren mit Aufschlu\ und nachfolgendem Herstellen einer Pastille berichtet. Die Wahl geeigneter Bezugs- und Analysenlinien wird diskutiert und ein Verfahren zur Eichung des Gerätes mit synthetischen Substanzgemischen geschildert. Der Zeitbedarf für eine Einzelbestimmung mit Probenaufbereitung, Aufschlu\, Vermahlen mit Graphit, Herstellen eines Pre\lings und zweimaliger spektrometrischer Untersuchung liegt bei etwa 6 min.

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Summary Different methods for the rapid analysis of mineral substances by emission spectrometry in the visible region are discussed and improvements are reported for a method employing decomposition and subsequent preparation of a pellet. The selection of suitable reference and analysis lines is discussed and a procedure is described for the calibration of the apparatus by means of synthetic mixtures of substances. The time required for a single determination inclusive of sample preparation, decomposition, grinding together with graphite, preparation of a pellet and two spectrometric examinations is about 6 min.

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Den Herren A. Bellmann, H. Brück und L. Krämer danke ich für Anregungen und sorgfältige Ausführung von Versuchen.