Guides

Guides

Current Eurachem Guides

Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes by Laboratories (2021)

Contents

ptguide2011_132This document represents the current state-of-the-art with respect to the selection and use of proficiency testing schemes, and the interpretation of results and evaluations given in proficiency testing schemes. Although aimed primarily at staff in analytical laboratories, it is also useful for customers of laboratories, assessors working for accreditation bodies and other external users of PT scheme results.

The main topics covered by the Guide are:

  1. the aims and benefits of participation in PT schemes;
  2. selecting the most appropriate PT scheme;
  3. understanding the basic statistics and performance scoring used by the PT providers;
  4. using and interpreting the PT results in order to improve the overall performance of the laboratory.

This third edition, approved in 2021, brings the guide up to date with standards and guidance documents that have been revised and developed since the second edition was released in 2011. In particular it aligns the guide with ISO 13528:2015 and with current guidance on developing a PT participation strategy and selecting the most appropriate PT schemes.

The third edition was prepared by the EEE-PT Working Group (EA-Eurolab-Eurachem). EQALM (European Organisation for External Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine) as an affiliate member was also involved in this revision.

Availability

This Third Edition is currently available in English and Czech and can be downloaded at no cost from the links below.

 

Note 1: Third edition first published on this website on 2021-03-02. Dates above are the date of publication of the particular document on this website.

Note 2:The present English version, designated EPT 2021:P3,  corrects minor errors identified in the first printing. Corrections can be found in the list of errata available below.

Citation

This guidance should be cited* as
"B. Brookman and I. Mann (eds.) Eurachem Guide: Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes (3rd ed. 2021). Available from www.eurachem.org."

*Subject to journal requirements.

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Previous editions

Earlier editions of this guide are available in the publication archive on this website.

Errata

The version of the documents available at the links above are the latest print available and may include minor editorial corrections since first publication of the Third Edition in the relevant language. A complete list of these changes is provided for reference at the link below.

 

The Selection and use of Reference Materials (2002)

Contents

The aim of this paper is to provide a short, simple and user-friendly guide for laboratories, and accreditation and certification bodies. It employs mainly ISO and VIM definitions and provides references to other more comprehensive and expert texts. It is intended to provide help for the inexperienced rather than the expert and necessarily simplifies some topics. It includes discussion and clarification of some misunderstood issues. Although based on the requirements of chemical measurement, it is intended to be also of use in other areas of measurement.

Availability

You may download the guide from this website at no cost (pdf, 165 kB).

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Metrological Traceability in Chemical Measurement - 2nd Edition (2019)

Contents

TrcFig2ttl 366x215This Guide gives detailed guidance for the establishment of metrological traceability in quantitative chemical analysis, based on the definition in the international vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology (VIM). Though it is aimed principally at testing and measurement laboratories carrying out chemical measurement, the principles are expected to apply from routine analysis to basic research. The document is intended to assist laboratories in meeting the requirements on traceability of results given in ISO/IEC 17025.

This second edition amends the Guide to reflect revised terminology introduced in the third edition of the International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM). Detailed discussion of the VIM terminology can be found in the Eurachem Guide “Terminology in Analytical Measurement: Introduction to VIM 3”.

Availability

You may download the guide directly from this website at no cost.

A Czech translation of the 2nd edition is also available as a part of the Eurachem.CZ guide "KVALIMETRIE 24", available at http://www.eurachem.cz/publikace-detail.php?clanek=18

Citation

This publication should be cited as follows*:

S L R Ellison and A Williams (Eds) Eurachem/CITAC Guide: Metrological traceability in chemical measurement
(2nd ed. 2019). ISBN: 978-0-948926-34-1. Available from www.eurachem.org.

*Subject to journal requirements

Translation

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Terminology in Analytical Measurement: Introduction to VIM 3

Contents

TAM2023 Front coverThis guide has been produced by members of the Eurachem Education and Training Working Group and others co-opted to the Project group for this task.

In the world of metrology – the science of measurement and its application – there is a language which has to be learned. The International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM) was produced to provide a common language, primarily for physical measurements. The VIM 3 is a consistent set of concepts each described by a unique term, the ‘label’ of the concept. VIM 3 is applicable across all scientific disciplines thus making it relevant to those involved in performing measurements in chemistry and biology. Consistent definitions of concepts with their associated terms and symbols are essential if analysts and customers across the globe are to understand each other.

This Eurachem Guide discusses a selection of the concepts in VIM 3, focusing on those most likely to be encountered in analytical laboratories. It aims to cover chemical, biological and clinical measurements and gives examples over and above those in the notes accompanying the definitions in VIM 3. The guide is intended for laboratory staff, accreditation bodies, for those commissioning measurements and for those using measurement results. Lecturers and trainers may also find this guide useful when teaching aspects of metrology.

In this second edition the scope and structure, and the terms and concepts discussed, remain unchanged from the first edition. However, all sections have been reviewed and, where necessary, the text has been revised to improve clarity and ensure consistency with current international guidance at the time of publication.

Availability

This second edition is currently available in English and can be downloaded at no cost from the link below:

+ Date of publication on this site

Citation

This publication should be cited* as:

V. J. Barwick (Ed.), Eurachem Guide:Terminology in Analytical Measurement – Introduction to VIM 3 (2nd ed.
2023). ISBN 978-0-948926-40-2. Available from www.eurachem.org

*Subject to journal requirements.

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Previous editions

The First Edition in English is available, together with translations of the first edition in Farsi, German, Italian, and Ukrainian, in the publication archive on this website.