Metrological Traceability and Roles of Certified Reference Materials

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-83
Author(s):  
Akiharu Hioki ◽  

Metrological traceability to an international reference, the International System of Units (SI) if possible, is important for the reliability of measurements. The international traceability system under the Metre Convention is briefly introduced. The simplest way to secure metrological traceability in chemical analyses is to utilise certified reference materials (CRMs) for calibration and validation. Finally, as examples of CRMs, NMIJ ones are described.

Separations ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Vikram Kestens ◽  
Victoria A. Coleman ◽  
Jan Herrmann ◽  
Caterina Minelli ◽  
Alex G. Shard ◽  
...  

Line-start incremental centrifugal liquid sedimentation (disc-CLS) is a powerful technique to determine particle size based on the principles of Stokes’ law. As most input quantities of the Stokes equation cannot be easily determined for typical instruments used for this method, an alternative method which depends on calibrating the sedimentation time scale with reference particles has become common practice. Unfortunately, most of these calibration materials (calibrants) come with limited information regarding their metrological reliability (e.g., lack of measurement uncertainties and traceability statements, incomplete measurand definitions). As a consequence, routine particle size results obtained by disc-CLS are mostly only traceable to the calibrant used, and effective comparisons can only be made for those results originating from measurements performed with the same types of calibrants. In this study, we discuss the concept of metrological traceability and demonstrate that particle size results obtained by disc-CLS can be traceable to the ultimate metrological reference, i.e., the unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), the meter. Using the example of two colloidal silica certified reference materials, we describe how laboratories can realize metrological traceability to the SI by simplifying complex traceability networks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-111
Author(s):  
John R. Sieber

As a producer of certified reference materials (CRMs), NIST faces high demand for Standard Reference Materials (SRMs). The demand is exacerbated by widespread misuse of CRMs. When should one use CRMs? When should one not use CRMs? Must labs always use NIST SRMs? How can labs demonstrate analytical capabilities for their accreditation scopes? Why so many questions? Standards developers, laboratory accreditors, and laboratory staff must be able to understand these topics with respect to quality systems in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025. They must calibrate and validate test methods and document traceability to the International System of Units (SI). Many people working in laboratory accreditation and under the umbrella of a quality system do not fully understand what these things are, let alone the language of chemical metrology. On average, they have little training in analytical chemistry, elemental analysis, and reference material development. It is hoped this paper will impress upon the reader the need for understanding how CRMs can be best used in the laboratory. This paper provides a brief background on the above problems and then looks at some of the support and reference information provided by NIST to metals and mining industries labs, commercial CRM producers, and accrediting bodies. The concepts and guidance apply broadly to chemical metrology and fundamental analytical chemistry. The paper includes examples (some from X-ray fluorescence spectrometry) to illustrate concepts.


Author(s):  
Heinz Schimmel ◽  
Ingrid Zegers

AbstractThe concept of metrological traceability of measurement results to property values assigned to measurement standards of higher metrological order or to the International System of Units (SI) through sequential calibrations, using reference materials and reference measurement procedures, plays a key role in ensuring that end user measurement procedures perform at an acceptable level in the clinical context. The aim is that measurement results produced over time or by different end users or with different end user measurement procedures for the same measurand will be equivalent within their corresponding uncertainties. These goals can only be reached under certain conditions and if requirements laid down in international standards on calibration concepts, reference measurement procedures and reference materials are fulfilled. Calibration hierarchies have to be implemented correctly and parameters contributing to measurement uncertainty and systematic bias need to be controlled and eliminated, respectively, by technically improving methods and reference materials and intermediate calibrators used for effectively achieving equivalence of measurement results and for meeting analytical performance requirements for in vitro diagnostic devices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-13
Author(s):  
L. A. Konopelko ◽  
A. V. Kolobova ◽  
O. V. Fatina

Currently, in the Russian Federation, the metrological traceability of certified reference materials of the composition of gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure produced by manufacturers of certified reference materials is carried out in accordance with GOST 8.578-2014. Considering that certified reference materials of the composition of gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure are used for testing to approye the type of measuring instruments, verification, calibration, and graduation of gas-analytical measuring instruments used to control explosive gases and vapors, harmful components in the atmospheric air and the air of the working area, emissions from vehicles and enterprises, to control technological processes, the quality of hydrocarbon products, etc., the issue of ensuring the quality of seriously produced certified reference materials (about 100.000 cylinders with gas mixtures per year) is important. To ensure the quality of certified reference materials of gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure, mass-produced by manufacturers of certified reference materials, we offer the following actions:– manufacturers of certified reference materials’ passing of mandatory accreditation for compliance with the requirements of GOST ISO Guide 34–2014 and GOST ISO Guide 35–2015;– manufacturers of certified reference materials’ constant participation in the proficiency testing programs through interlaboratory tests;– actualizing and refining the existing set of standards defining the requirements for the entire life cycle of a certified reference material of a gas mixture in a cylinder under pressure;– improving the method of certification of a reference material by calculating the value of the expanded uncertainty of the reference material and the introducting a new coefficient «technological reserve».


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Feistel

Abstract. In the terrestrial climate system, water is a key player in the form of its different ambient phases of ice, liquid and vapour, admixed with sea salt in the ocean and with dry air in the atmosphere. For proper balances of climatic energy and entropy fluxes in models and observation, a highly accurate, consistent and comprehensive thermodynamic standard framework is requisite in geophysics and climate research. The new “Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater – 2010” (TEOS-10) constitutes such a standard for properties of water in its various manifestations in the hydrological cycle. TEOS-10 has been recommended internationally in 2009 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to replace the previous 1980 seawater standard, EOS-80, and in 2011 by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) “as the official description for the properties of seawater, of ice and of humid air”. This paper briefly reviews the development of TEOS-10, its novel axiomatic properties, new oceanographic tools it offers, and important tasks that still await solutions by ongoing research. Among the latter are new definitions and measurement standards for seawater salinity and pH, in order to establish their metrological traceability to the International System of Units (SI), for the first time after a century of widespread use. Of similar climatological relevance is the development and recommendation of a uniform standard definition of atmospheric relative humidity that is unambiguous and rigorously based on physical principles.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas D. C. Allen ◽  
David R. Worton ◽  
Paul J. Brewer ◽  
Céline Pascale ◽  
Bernhard Niederhauser

Abstract. Monoterpenes play an important role in atmospheric chemistry due to their large anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources and high chemical reactivity. As a consequence, measurements are required to assess how changes in emissions of monoterpenes impact air quality. Accurate and comparable measurements of monoterpenes in indoor and outdoor environments require gaseous primary reference materials (PRMs) that are traceable to the international system of units (SI). PRMs of monoterpenes are challenging to produce due to the high chemical reactivity and low vapour pressures of monoterpenes and also their propensity to convert into other compounds, including other terpenes. In this paper, the long-term stability of gravimetrically prepared static monoterpene PRMs produced in differently passivated cylinders, including sampling canisters, was assessed. We demonstrate that static PRMs of multiple monoterpenes can be prepared and used as a suitable long-term standard. For the first time the effect of cylinder pressure and decanting from one cylinder to another on the chemical composition and amount fraction of monoterpenes was also studied. Gravimetrically prepared PRMs of limonene in high pressure cylinders were compared to a novel portable dynamic reference gas generator based on dilution of pure limonene vapour emitted from a permeation tube.


2021 ◽  
pp. 549-557
Author(s):  
Džanina Omićević ◽  
Dževad Krdžalić ◽  
Esad Vrce

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morven Sinclair ◽  
Chris McLellan ◽  
Agnieszka Bialek ◽  
Emma R Woolliams ◽  
Sarah Taylor ◽  
...  

<p>With increasing use of satellite-derived data in climate and Earth monitoring, the importance of reliable and traceable radiometric and spectral information is key. Due to the difficulties of maintaining instrument calibration post-launch, vicarious calibration sites play a vital part in ensuring the stability and interoperability of satellite sensor data.</p><p>RadCalNet, the Radiometric Calibration Network established through the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Working Group on Calibration and Validation (CEOS-WGCV), provides a network of, currently four, instrumented ground reference sites providing users with bottom and top-of-atmosphere (BOA and TOA) reflectance measurements every 30 minutes in 10 nm spectral intervals and for nadir view. (For all sites, more detailed spectral information and off-nadir reflectances can be obtained from site owners). It is a key aspect of RadCalNet that the sites document their traceability to the International System of Units (SI) and that they provide traceable uncertainties associated with individual observations. These documents and uncertainties are peer reviewed by the RadCalNet working group.  Each RadCalNet site provides ground reflectance observations that are propagated to TOA through a centralised processing system. RadCalNet has over 300 active users who value the available information.</p><p>Gobabeb, in Namibia, is one of these four sites, given the reference GONA. GONA was the first site that was established as a new RadCalNet site (the other sites were pre-existing) and the location was determined from a global survey to find suitable sites, primarily due to spatial uniformity and the probability of suitable atmospheric conditions, such as clear skies. With an automatic radiometric station, this site continuously collects atmospheric data and surface radiance measurements. These are then processed to ground spectral reflectance and provided with uncertainties to the RadCalNet processor which propagates values to TOA.</p><p>Due to the limitations of the instrument used for autonomous measurements, recent fieldwork has been carried out in this location to acquire additional hyperspectral data to maintain the quality of the site products. In addition, further site characterisation was conducted to prepare a best location for a new site nearby that is being developed under the HYPERNETS project. This paper presents both the RadCalNet site and the results of the recent fieldwork.</p>


Ocean Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Feistel

Abstract. In the terrestrial climate system, water is a key player in the form of its different ambient phases of ice, liquid and vapour, admixed with sea salt in the ocean and with dry air in the atmosphere. For proper balances of climatic energy and entropy fluxes in models and observations, a highly accurate, consistent and comprehensive thermodynamic standard framework is requisite in geophysics and climate research. The new Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater – 2010 (TEOS-10) constitutes such a standard for properties of water in its various manifestations in the hydrological cycle. TEOS-10 was recommended internationally in 2009 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to replace the previous 1980 seawater standard, EOS-80, and in 2011 by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) as the official description for the properties of seawater, of ice and of humid air. This paper briefly reviews the development of TEOS-10, its novel axiomatic properties, the new oceanographic tools it offers and the important tasks that still await solutions by ongoing research. Among the latter are new definitions and measurement standards for seawater salinity and pH in order to establish their metrological traceability to the International System of Units (SI) for the first time after a century of widespread use. Of similar climatological relevance is the development and recommendation of a uniform standard definition of atmospheric relative humidity that is unambiguous and rigorously based on physical principles.The leading thermodynamic properties of a fluid are determined by the relations which exist between volume, pressure, temperature, energy, and entropy … But all the relations existing between these five quantities for any substance …may be deduced from the single relation existing for that substance between volume, energy, and entropy. Josiah Willard Gibbs, 1873b


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