Eurachem
Newsletter
No 11 |
Winter 1996/97 |
News from all over Europe (9 items)
Eurachem
News
- EURACHEM-Sk Maintain a High Local Profile in 1996
- Central European Conference on Reference Materials CERM '96
- EURACHEM-Finland Discuss Benchmarking
- EURACHEM / EUROMET Interface Group
- Steady Progress Towards a Draft Guide to Non-Routine Analysis
- EURACHEM-CH Takes QA in Analytical R&D to Task
- Towards the Establishment of EURACHEM-Cyprus
- AOAC on the Internet
- A New EAL / EURACHEM / EUROLAB Working Group for PT
EURACHEM Slovakia
EURACHEM-Sk Maintain a High Local Profile in 1996
Over 70 delegates attended the second meeting of EURACHEM-Sk in
June this year.
During this meeting the members of the EURACHEM Sk Board were
elected. Prof. Ján Garaj took over as Chair and Dr. Dusan
Kordík and Dr. Viliam Pätoprstý as Vice Chairs.
During 1996, the Board maintained a high profile by disseminating
EURACHEM information at:
- "Quality Assurance of Chemical and Biochemical laboratories"
(A workshop held in January 1996, in Bratislava)
- Modern Trends in the Evaluation of analytical methods and procedures"
(Two training Courses in May & October 1996, in Bratislava)
- The international conference on reference materials CERM'96
(Oct. 1996, Liptovský Ján)
Further activities included the participation of 13 Slovak laboratories
in IMEP 6, as well as the translation of the EURACHEM Guide
"Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement"
into the Slovak language. This Guide is now available.
EURACHEM Slovakia
Central European Conference on Reference Materials CERM '96
LIPTOVSKÝ JÁN, Slovakia, 30 September 4 October 1996
More than 100 scientists, from Western as well as Eastern Europe,
attended CERM '96. This conference on reference materials was
held in Liptovský Ján in Slovakia, under the coordination
of the Slovak Institute of Metrology and EURACHEM-Sk. The aim
of the conference was to exchange information among producers
and users of reference materials, for the sake of improving analytical
measurement quality.
The programme consisted of plenary lectures and a poster session.
As well as the problems connected with reference materials, some
aspects of accreditation, proficiency testing and international
standards were also discussed. The poster session focused on information
concerning newly prepared reference materials, uncertainty evaluation
and traceability schemes.
An intensive exchange of information between participants took
place. Many initiatives were taken for future cooperation in the
field of reference material certification.
It was decided that CERM will be periodically repeated in different
countries of central Europe. As a result, a further conference
will be held in The Czech Republic (Prague) in 1999.
For further information please contact
Dr. Viliam Pätoprsty
Slovak lnstitute of Metrology
Dr. Viliam Pätoprsty
EURACHEM Slovakia
Eurachem
News
EURACHEM Finland
EURACHEM-Finland Discuss Benchmarking
EURACHEM Finland held its traditional autumn seminar in Helsinki
on 11 November 1996. Almost 50 members gathered together to hear
the latest information about benchmarking and its application
to analytical chemical activities and laboratories.
One of the lectures, given by Ms. Ellen Wolf (Forensic Science
Laboratory, The Netherlands), described a case study where benchmarking
was applied to drug research. This very recent study had been
carried out by some of the leading EU forensic laboratories.
Prof. Veikko Komppa
EURACHEM Finland
EURACHEM / EUROMET Interface Group
The 3rd Contact Persons' Meeting was held in September 1996 in
Lisbon. Many topics discussed were also reported to EURACHEM members
at the CITAC / EURACHEM Joint Workshop, held in Noordwijkerhout
(Page 6-7).
The 2nd CCQM, ISO/REMCO and ISO/TC 158 meetings were reported
by respective subject group members.
Further information about the latest EURACHEM Amount of Substance
projects can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.dfm.dtu.dk/euromet/amos.htm
Further details about the meeting are available from Prof.
Veikko Komppa, VTT .
LATER: Summary details regarding the latest EURACHEM AoS Projects
EURACHEM/CITAC R&D/Non-Routine Analysis Working Group
Steady Progress Towards a Draft Guide
The EURACHEM/CITAC R&D/Non-Routine Analysis Working Group
last met during the EURACHEM meetings in Prague in May 1996.
The normal membership was boosted by a number of observers, who
contributed enthusiastically to the debate and ensured a lively
and constructive discussion. Before the meeting a draft of the
guidance notes had been circulated, containing material covering
probably 80% of the areas where guidance was thought to be needed.
Good progress was made in clarifying the requirements in some
of the remaining areas.
Since that meeting, slow but steady progress has been made over
the course of the summer. A meeting has been arranged for Frankfurt
in late Autumn, where it is anticipated that the working group
will be able to discuss a largely complete draft.
However, the debate over some of the definitions still continues
and there is no doubt that some issues are proving to be more
of a challenge than originally envisaged.
No doubt there will still be further discussions before the draft
is considered to be up to a standard fit for publication. It
is still too early to think much about a publication date for
the guide. Late next year is seen as a realistic target.
For further information on this work, please contact:
Mr David Holcombe
E/C R&D/NRA WG Secretariat
Laboratory of the Govt. Chemist
Mr David Holcombe
Secretary
EURACHEM/CITAC R&D/Non-Routine Analysis Working Group.
EURACHEM Switzerland
EURACHEM-CH Takes QA in Analytical R&D to Task
A workshop, entitled Quality Assurance in Analytical Research
and Development (R&D), was held in Zurich in June this
year. The aim of the workshop was to inform participants about
standards and guidelines aimed at quality assurance in analytical
R&D.
Quality elements important to analytical R&D work, such as
planning, sampling, validation and measurement uncertainty were
highlighted. Almost 50 delegates attended, indicating that QA
in R&D is important and that most quality elements in standards
are applicable to R&D, if properly adapted. Many of these
quality elements were shown to be important. However, the existence
of different but partly overlapping standards, with similar quality
elements can lead to confusion.
Dr Peter Radvila
EURACHEM-CH
Eurachem
News
Cyprus
Towards the Establishment of EURACHEM-Cyprus
At the moment, Cyprus (under the auspices of the Pancyprian Union
of Chemists (PUC)) is an observer member of EURACHEM.
The PUC continues to disseminate information on various issues
regarding testing and accreditation of laboratories. The quarterly
journal Chemical News provides a useful tool for this
purpose. A group of about 15 people are actively involved in a
Network for the Communication and Dissemination of Information
in the Field of Testing. This is coordinated by the Cyprus Organisation
for Standards and Control of Quality (CYS).
On October 17, a oneday seminar on the accreditation of laboratories
was jointly organised by CYS and PUC. Up to 100 people from both
public and private sectors attended.
Contributions made by 13 scientists enlightened a series of issues,
mainly in the field of analytica1 laboratories. Topics included:
- Preparation of the quality manual for laboratories
- Uncertainty of measurement
- Reference materials
- New trends in the accreditation of laboratories (EN 45000 series, ISO/IEC Guide 25).
- GLP
Almost 100 copies of Newsletter No 10 have been distributed to
people who have shown interest in EURACHEM. Therefore, the basis
of a Nationa1 EURACHEM organisation already exists. Further developments
are expected in January 1997.
Dr Kyriacos Tsmillis
Pancyprian Union of Chemists
Eurachem
News
AOAC on the Internet
AOAC has established a homepage on the World-wide Web. The address
is http://www.aoac.org.
AOAC is an observer member of EURACHEM. It has active liasons
with EURACHEM, with information flowing both ways. At the moment,
AOAC is actively participating in the EURACHEM Method Validation
Study Group.
AOAC has a wide range of publications, services and courses, that
are available to all. Contact AOAC International for details.
Ms Margreet Lauwaars
AOAC International
Eurachem
News
A New EAL / EURACHEM / EUROLAB Working Group
Proficiency Testing for use in Accreditation Procedures
EURACHEM, EAL and EUROLAB have jointly formed two new working groups, one of which concentrates on proficiency testing (PT).
This Working Group has the following terms of reference:
- To identify and promote the use of cost-effective types of PT in accreditation procedures.
- To prepare a common position paper on the cost-effective use of PT.
- To review the state of practice in PT for use in accreditation procedures.
- To develop qualifying criteria for PT schemes related to their intended use.
- To interact with the relevant DGs of the European Commission.
- To cooperate with organisations running national or international PT schemes and to formulate proposals for participation by EAL, EUROLAB and EURACHEM members.
- To study the needs and feasibility for EAL-EUROLAB-EURACHEM initiated PT schemes and to formulate proposals.
- To study the correlation between accreditation of a laboratory and its results in a PT scheme.
- To initiate further appropriate actions.
- To revise document EAL G-6.
The group is therefore concerned with promoting the use of appropriate PT schemes as an aid to accreditation, as well as encouraging, and providing a medium for, European cooperation in PT.
A survey on the type of PT used in laboratory accreditation has been completed. The survey indicated a broad range of practices and needs of laboratories, PT organisers and accreditation bodies. The survey also indicated that there is a significant willingness to participate and organise international PT schemes. However, many laboratories are not aware of good PT schemes run in other countries. The group will therefore address this by the establishment of a detailed comprehensive international database of PT schemes.
The group is currently developing the criteria for a PT scheme, which should lead to the establishment of a Europe-wide approach to the recognition of PT schemes by accreditation bodies.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Nick Boley
LGC, Queens Road, TEDDINGTON, Middesex, TW11 0LY, UK
Tel +44 181 943 7311
Fax + 44 181 943 2767
Email npb@lgc.co.uk
or Prof Dr Paul de Bièvre, IRMM
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