Accreditation and Quality Assurance最新文献

{"title":"Application of secondary pH measurement method for homogeneity and stability assessment of reference materials","authors":"Boryana Koleva,&nbsp;Lyudmila Dimitrova,&nbsp;Daniela Stoica,&nbsp;Paola Fisicaro","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01464-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01464-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this work, the development and optimization of a secondary method for pH measurement using a differential potentiometric cell are described. The method was optimized and validated by measurement of three certified primary buffer solutions (CRMs) with nominal pH values of 4.005, 6.865 and 9.180 at 25?°C. The method was applied to assess homogeneity and stability of phosphate buffer solution with nominal pH of 7.000 at 25?°C which will be used as test item in proficiency testing schemes for pH measurement of testing laboratories. The experiments carried out and described in this article proved that this particular design of secondary differential potentiometric cell requires small volume of solutions, is fast, accurate and precise and is suitable for the characterization of secondary buffer solutions and assessment of homogeneity and stability of buffer solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 2","pages":"113 - 120"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01464-w","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4107392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitation of hydrogen sulfide reference gas mixtures to provide traceability for indoor air quality monitoring","authors":"Nompumelelo Leshabane,&nbsp;James Tshilongo,&nbsp;Shadung J. Moja,&nbsp;Napo G. Ntsasa,&nbsp;Gumani Mphaphuli,&nbsp;Mudalo I. Jozela","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01461-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01461-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Accurate measurements for the determination of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) are critical for the compliance with legislation in various industries, including natural gas and environmental sectors such as air pollution monitoring. H₂S measurements at ambient level are challenging because H₂S tends to adsorb on the internal surfaces of the sample collection devices such as gas cylinders and transfer lines. Prolonged exposure to H₂S has known health implications to humans, such as irritation to the nose, throat and airways that results in coughing or inflammation, wheezing and shortness of breath around the chest. H₂S is mainly monitored for occupational health and safety and indoor air quality monitoring. It is a highly reactive gas that can easily react with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and with water to form sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). The traceability of H₂S measurements is achieved through the preparation of reference gas mixtures. These gas mixtures are gravimetrically prepared in accordance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO 6142–1:2015). The H₂S reference gas mixtures were produced with the highest metrological capability; thus, the molar mass, purity assessment, and the weighing gave an overall gravimetric relative uncertainty which is less than 0.10% (<i>k</i>?=?1). One of the biggest challenges in producing a H₂S reference gas mixture is the handling of a gas cylinder from the gravimetric preparation process until the verification stage. This work will detail the improved techniques and measurements used to produce the H₂S reference gas mixtures. The internal consistency between the mixtures was verified using a non-dispersive ultraviolet (NDUV) spectroscopy analyzer, an ultraviolet fluorescence spectroscopy (UVFS) analyzer and gas chromatography coupled with a pulsed discharged helium ionization detector (GC-PDHID). Our measurement uncertainty results show that the gravimetric value, internal consistency, adsorption, homogeneity, and stability were within a relative uncertainty of 1.2% as compared to our previous uncertainty of 4.4%. This is a significant improvement for the measurements of H₂S reference gas mixtures.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 2","pages":"69 - 75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01461-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4904319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progress with the work program of ISO/REMCO during 2020","authors":"Angelique Botha,&nbsp;John P. Hammond,&nbsp;Stéphane Sauvage","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01465-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01465-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The 43rd meeting of the Reference Material Committee of ISO, ISO/REMCO, that was scheduled to take place in Milan, Italy, from 30 June to 3 July 2020 with Accredia, the Italian accreditation body and INRIM, the Italian Metrology Institute as the hosts, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report shares the details of the important decision that was taken by the ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) in December 2020 to transform ISO/REMCO into an ISO technical committee, ISO/TC 334, <i>Reference materials</i>. The background that led to the decision is provided as well as the implications of the decision for the future of the development of guidance for the production and use of reference materials. The report also gives an update on the progress with the work program of the committee during the past year and the strategy for the future work of the committee.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 2","pages":"103 - 105"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01465-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4871942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to: Confidence intervals for robust estimates of measurement uncertainty","authors":"Peter D. Rostron,&nbsp;Tom Fearn,&nbsp;Michael H. Ramsey","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01457-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01457-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"59 - 59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01457-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4964024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of reproducibility uncertainty in micropipette calibrations for non-nominal volumes through an interlaboratory study","authors":"Katsuhiro Shirono,&nbsp;Hideyuki Tanaka","doi":"10.1007/s00769-020-01453-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-020-01453-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The nominal volume of a variable volume micropipette is the maximum volume of the range specified by the micropipette manufacturer. The purpose of the present study is to quantify the reproducibility standard uncertainty for non-nominal volume micropipette calibrations for variable volume micropipettes. An interlaboratory study was implemented for this purpose, using variable volume micropipettes with nominal volumes of 10?μL, 200?μL, and 1000?μL and setting the measurement volumes as 10?%, 50?%, and 100?% of the nominal volumes. In our previous paper (Accredit Qual Assur 19:377, 2014), we quantified the uncertainty due to reproducibility using only data obtained for nominal volume calibrations. From the results obtained, we found that the reproducibility uncertainties quantified for nominal volumes are too small to cover interlaboratory variations for non-nominal volume calibrations. For calibrations of 10?% and 50?% of the nominal volumes, the reproducibility uncertainties must be increased by the factors of 2.7 and 1.4, respectively, for micropipettes with nominal volumes of 10?μL to 1 000?μL, based on the results of this study.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"27 - 39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-020-01453-5","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4892975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Practical guidance for organizing small interlaboratory comparisons","authors":"David Milde,&nbsp;Eva Klokočníková,&nbsp;Alena Nižnanská","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01458-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01458-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article brings practical guidance for organization of interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) with small number of participants (<i>n</i>?=?2–7) that is not arranged by a proficiency testing provider. The methodological guideline aims to provide practical advices in following technical requirements of small ILC organization: design of a scheme, preparation, packaging and distribution of ILC test items, instructions for participants, evaluation of results and participants’ performance, and participation report. The determination of the assigned value and standard deviation for proficiency assessment is also covered and is accompanied by the practical example where the assigned value is established using order statistics.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"17 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01458-8","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4855594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accreditation in Europe: benchmarking the operations of European accreditation bodies using an innovative management tool","authors":"Tilman Denkler","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01459-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01459-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Accreditation is one of the pillars of a national Quality Infrastructure, as the competence of conformity assessment bodies is assured through accreditation performed by accreditation bodies. To compare the operation of accreditation bodies in Europe and to identify best practices, a management tool, the <i>Process Maturity Benchmarking Tool</i>, was developed and validated by applying it to European accreditation bodies. The benchmarking project comprised two major phases: in the first phase, the processes of accreditation bodies were systematically analyzed. A process map was developed, and processes of special relevance were identified and underpinned by indicators. In the second phase, the practical applicability of the theoretical model was demonstrated by analyzing the processes of eight European accreditation bodies. The results of this comparative assessment were subsequently discussed in a workshop with experts from those accreditation bodies, giving the opportunity to identify best practices. This article has a twofold objective. First, to present a method to benchmark European accreditation bodies, based on the European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model. The successful application of the <i>Process Maturity Benchmarking Tool</i> gives evidence that it is a suitable and capable management tool to assess the processes of the European accreditation bodies and to benchmark them. Second, the article presents the results of the first adaption of the <i>Process Maturity Benchmarking Tool</i>. A general trend of process maturity was identified: while processes based on stakeholder involvement tend to have an overall lower maturity on average, internal processes are more mature.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"47 - 57"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01459-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4853799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reporting uncertainty for gas certified reference materials: balancing customer requirements with calibration and measurement capabilities","authors":"Richard J. C. Brown,&nbsp;Paul J. Brewer","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01456-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01456-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The effect of rounding when presenting the uncertainties associated with bespoke gas certified reference materials has been investigated. This has been examined in the context of wanting to provide the customer with as close a match as possible to what was originally contracted whilst needing to comply with the minimum uncertainties allowed by internationally agreed calibration and measurement capabilities under the International Committee for Weights and Measures’ Mutual Recognition Arrangement or other scopes of accreditation. The effect of rounding has, in relative terms, been shown to be large in some cases and this has prompted an investigation into improved methods to express more precisely values presented on certificates accompanying bespoke gas certified reference materials. This has included a new proposal to present relative, instead of absolute, uncertainties on certificates thereby matching exactly customer requirements. This Practitioner’s Report also demonstrates how considerations of customer and quality system requirements should be properly balanced and how internal review of technical procedures leads to continuous improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"41 - 45"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01456-w","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5045996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Good laboratory practice-compliant bio-efficacy testing of repellent products against Aedes aegypti","authors":"R. Rosilawati,&nbsp;A. Ruziyatul Aznieda,&nbsp;A. Roziah,&nbsp;N. Ab Hamid,&nbsp;C. H. Teh,&nbsp;F. F. Siti-Futri,&nbsp;M. Khairul Asuad,&nbsp;A. H. Azahari,&nbsp;M. Nurul Fatihah,&nbsp;M. Muhamad Ariffin,&nbsp;Y. L. Cheong,&nbsp;W. A. Nazni,&nbsp;H. L. Lee","doi":"10.1007/s00769-021-01455-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01455-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Medical Entomology Unit of the Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, is a laboratory that was certified in 2019 to conduct evaluation of vector control products in compliance to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development principles of good laboratory practice (GLP) laboratory. To ensure the product evaluation practice complies with the GLP principles and corrections are made for improving test procedures, internal inspections by the Quality Assurance team play a crucial role. Before commencing GLP-compliant studies, study plans are developed according to the study objectives and critically examined to ensure they are performed in accordance with the GLP principles. We described the quality of test system, test item and test method used for evaluation of repellent effect of topically applied repellent products in accordance to the GLP test requirements.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"23 - 26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-021-01455-x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4895108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of the sampling process on the measurement uncertainty, a case study: physicochemical parameters in diesel","authors":"Viviane de Jesus Leite,&nbsp;Elcio Cruz de Oliveira,&nbsp;Ricardo Queiroz Aucélio","doi":"10.1007/s00769-020-01452-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-020-01452-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The result of a chemical measurement is consequence of a set of steps that begins with sample selection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of the sampling in overall measurement uncertainty, taking as study case physicochemical measurements of diesel. The empirical method used was by duplicates, and the treatment of data sets was performed by four different statistical techniques: classic analysis of variance, robust analysis of variance and two different Range Statistics models. The choice must be backed by previous evaluation of data set in terms of normality, independence, presence of outliers and homogeneity of variance. It was found that Range Statistics produced most reliable results under different premises and for the variety of physicochemical parameters evaluated. Robust analysis of variance failed indicates proper influence of sampling even it is a test designed to work under the lack of some of the proper premises.</p>","PeriodicalId":454,"journal":{"name":"Accreditation and Quality Assurance","volume":"26 1","pages":"1 - 9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s00769-020-01452-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4605974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}