Metrology in service of society: the role of proficiency testing

A sound system of competent measurements, underpinned by standards and accreditation, is an essential component of the infrastructure of any modern society. Proficiency Testing is an indispensible tool for developing and maintaining this infrastructure. It is used to verify compliance with standards, for ongoing monitoring of laboratory performance, for demonstration of competence, and for evaluating the performance of measurement procedures; it is used to indicate performance problems that might not be detected otherwise; and it is used as a tool for education and self-improvement. The new International Standard, ISO/IEC 17043, contains requirements and recommendations to make optimal use of this important tool.     

Metrology infrastructure for sustainable development of the Americas: the role of SIM

Reliable measurements are essential to guarantee all aspects required for the sustainable development of nations. There is an increasing awareness of the need to discuss, compare and improve infrastructures in the context of global economic efficiency, and market access for goods and services for both developed and developing countries. This is where metrology, standardization and conformity assessment come in. In order to further develop these activities, countries have been organizing themselves into regional cooperation groups. The Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) brings together the National Metrology Institutes of all 34 OAS member countries, aiming at the further development of a sound metrological basis, what lays in the basis of the technical infrastructure necessary for the sustainable development. In this paper the goals and objectives of SIM and some of its main projects will be analyzed, emphasizing the initiatives of chemical metrology and of quality management systems in the region.     

The role of the Czech Metrology Institute in the field of metrology in chemistry

 The main role of a national metrological institute is to assure metrological traceability in the country. Metrology in chemistry is a developing field with specific features quite different from physical metrology and it is very difficult to establish a metrological system in chemistry based on the work of a single national institute, especially in small countries. For this reason the Czech Metrology Institute (CMI) has helped to establish the Association of National Reference Laboratories (METROCHEM) which is responsible for ensuring the traceability of chemical measurements in the Czech Republic. CMI is expected to carry out reference material certification (according to the Law on metrology) and develop special fields (electrochemistry, moisture and protein in grains).     

Metrology and protometrology: the ordinal question

Laboratory medicine provides results for quantities as well as for properties having no magnitude. The terminology of the latter is less well established and sources are contradictory. Two recent papers on “protometrology” published in this journal offer an opportunity to discuss the necessary concept systems. The delineations of “metrology” versus “protometrology”, “observation” versus “measurement”, and the generic division of “property” are examined with emphasis on avoiding conflict with the International Vocabulary of Metrology. It is suggested that having “examination” as a top generic concept coupled with systematic modifiers for division, especially ‘nominal’ and ‘ordinal’, is a preferable terminological solution.

Metrology in Iceland: a status report

 The metrology system in Iceland has been reviewed and developed in the light of the increased needs of industry and other users of the system, in some cases to comply with the requirements of the agreement between the European Union and the European Economic Area which the Icelandic government signed in 1992. After a short historical review, the current legislation is explained, the metrological infrastructure is described, and the plans for the coming years are discussed. Received: 27 November 1995 Accepted: 18 December 1995     

中国科学院计量认证情况简述

为了开展中国科学院的计量认证工作,1991年10月初,中国科学院和国家技术监督局联合发了\     

Adequacy and Inadequacy in the Metrology of Chemical Analysis

The adequacy (inadequacy) of samples to each other and reference materials to test samples is an important notion in the metrology of chemical analysis. However, the literature gives no strict definition for this notion. In this paper, it was proposed to determine adequacy based on the measure of inadequacy. For the case of two samples, the measure of inadequacy is the absolute value of the difference between the systematic errors of the results of analyses of the samples; it depends on the difference in the composition and properties of the samples. The measure of inadequacy of a standard reference material to a series of test samples is the maximum distance between the systematic error of the reference material and one of the quantiles of the systematic error distribution of the test samples Q(0.025); Q(0.975); the errors in this case are due to the composition and the properties of the test samples. The samples are considered adequate if the measure of inadequacy can be neglected compared to the normalized error of the analysis. Using the determination of total cholesterol in the blood serum of humans as an example, it was shown that the standard reference material in the analysis of samples of complex composition is often inadequate to test samples.     

CITAC Award 2009: the three most interesting papers in Metrology in Chemistry

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CITAC Award 2009: the three most interesting papers in Metrology in Chemistry     

Metrology in chemistry: Part I. Current activities in Europe

 The paper (Parts I and II) reports the results of a survey carried out to assess the current situation in the field of metrology in chemistry within Europe and to identify future needs for work at the European level. Responses to a questionnaire covering 17 economic sectors and distributed to 17 countries plus the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC JRC), together with input from a project group, EURACHEM and EUROMET provided the basis of the study. The questionnaire responses clearly indicated that only a minority of countries had clearly defined responsibilities for policy, funding and technical leadership. Similarly only a small number of countries was able to provide any information about levels of funding. Nonetheless, a variety of work is in progress and in some countries the effort is considerable. In other countries discussion is in progress and /or work is beginning. Part I covers the protocol for the study and reports current activities. Part II reports suggestions for future work, a strategy for metrology in chemistry and recommendations for the EC Fifth Framework Programme. Received: 11 January 1999 / Accepted: 4 January 2000     

Metrology in chemistry: Part II. Future requirements in Europe

 The paper (Parts I and II) reports the results of a survey carried out to assess the current situation in the field of metrology in chemistry within Europe and to identify future needs for work at the European level. Responses to a questionnaire covering 17 economic sectors and distributed to 17 countries plus the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC JRC), together with input from a project group, EURACHEM and EUROMET, provided the basis of the study. Part I covers the protocol for the study and reports current activities. Part II reports suggestions for future work, a strategy for metrology in chemistry and recommendations for the EC Fifth Framework Programme.     

Quality system implementation in the National Metrology Institute of Montenegro

Accreditation and Quality Assurance - Accreditation of calibration laboratories is a means for achieving competence recognition and assuring customers that their calibration services are accurate...     

Metrology of polymorph identification tests

Identification of polymorphs – compounds containing the same chemical entities, but differing by their solid state properties – is a challenge for analytical chemists, since the solid state characteristics of polymorphs sometimes have subtle differences in their infrared (IR) spectra. A method based on the evaluation of FTIR spectra by Principal Component Analysis and a Software Independent Modelling Class Analogy package is proposed for estimation of reliability of polymorph identification. It is demonstrated that by proper choice of the spectral region, the same approach can be used for identification of polymorphs in low dosage formulations.Presented at the Second International Conference on Metrology – Trends and Applications in Calibration and Testing Laboratories, November 4–6, 2003, Eilat, Israel.     

CITAC Award 2010: Three Most Interesting Papers in Metrology in Chemistry

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CITAC Award 2010: Three Most Interesting Papers in Metrology in Chemistry