Project
Analytical
Chemistry Division
(V)
INTERDIVISIONAL
WORKING PARTY ON HARMONIZATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE
Number: 2001-009-1-500
Title: Revision in the international harmonised protocol for
the proficiency testing of (chemical) analytical laboratories
Task Group
Chairman: A. Fajgelj
Members: R. Wood
and M. Thompson
Completion Date: 2006 - project completed
Objective:
To review and revise the International Harmonised Protocol for the
Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories. The first
international protocol was adopted by IUPAC in 1993 and published in
Pure and Applied Chemistry, 1993, 65, 2123-2144. This
protocol has been adopted by a number of international organisations
and is used as the basis for the majority of proficiency testing schemes
carried out within the analytical community. It is incorporated into
legislation in the food sector most notably by endorsement by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission.
It is now appropriate for the protocol to be revised in the light of
experience of its usage.
Description:
The quality of an analytical result for a laboratory depends on a number
of functions, only one of which is the intrinsic quality of the analytical
method. Other aspects which a laboratory has to address include internal
quality control and recovery considerations. All of these aspects (methods,
IQC and recovery) have been addressed by IUPAC protocols/guidelines
prepared by the Interdivisional Working Party on Harmonisation of Quality
Assurance Schemes for Analytical Laboratories. That Working Party has
also prepared international guidelines on proficiency testing which
now need to be reassessed in the light of experience. In particular,
the following should be addressed in a future revision of the protocol:
- Procedures for the treatment of z-scores when the default value for
not detected is within the acceptable range.
- Further information on the selection of target standard deviations.
- Further information on the preparation of homogeneity testing material.
- The treatment of measurement uncertainty considerations by proficiency
testing schemes.
- The use of results from proficiency testing schemes to aid the validation
of specific methods of analysis.
The work will be progressed through an International Workshop at which
there will be invited presentations followed by discussion on the revision
of the protocol prepared by the project co-ordinators.
Progress:
A draft outcome of this project, i.e. a revised International Harmonised
Protocol for the Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories,
has been completed. In order to assure that a review by interested bodies
and organizations is done prior publication as a Technical Report in
Pure Appl. Chem., the draft is here made available for review
> Download full text (draft040317 pdf file - 348KB),
and return comments to Dr.
Ales Fajgelj <[email protected]>.
> Nov 2004 report update (pdf
file - 12KB)
Project completed - IUPAC Technical Report published in Pure
Appl. Chem.
78(1), 145-196, 2006
In addition to this IUPAC International Harmonised Protocol for the
Proficiency Testing of (Chemical) Analytical Laboratories, the Interdivisional
WP QA is developing a guide for selection and use of proficiency testing
schemes for limited number of participants (chemical analytical laboratories)
> see project
2005-019-2-500
Last update: 26 May 2006
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Page last modified 26 May 2006.
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