TY - JOUR A1 - Schiel, D. A1 - Rienitz, O. A1 - Jährling, R. A1 - Güttler, B. A1 - Matschat, Ralf A1 - Scharf, Holger A1 - Birkhahn, Jürgen A1 - Labarraque, G. A1 - Fisicaro, P. A1 - Borchers, U. A1 - Schwesig, D. T1 - Metrological concept for comparable measurement results under the European water framework directive: demonstration of its applicability in elemental analysis N2 - Within the scope of a project of the 'European Association of National Metrology Institutes' (EURAMET), a European metrological dissemination System (network) providing traceable reference values assigned to matrix materials for validation purposes is described and put to the test. It enables testing laboratories (TL) to obtain comparable results for measurements under the 'EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC' (WFD) and thus, to comply with a core requirement of this very directive. The dissemination system is characterized by the fact that it is available to all laboratories throughout Europe which intend to perform measurements in the context of the WFD and that it can ensure sustainable metrological traceability to the International System of Units (SI) as a reference point for the measurement results. This Dissemination system is set up in a hierarchical manner and links up the level of the national metrology institutes (NMI) with that of the TLs via an intermediate level of calibration laboratories (CL) by comparison measurements. The CLs are expert laboratories with respect to the measurement of the analytes considered here (within the project, the CLs are called potential calibration laboratories (PCL)) and are additionally involved in the organization of comparison measurements within the scope of regional quality assurance (QA) systems. Three comparison measurements have been performed to support the approach. A total of about 130 laboratories participated in this exercise with the focus on the measurement of the priority substances Pb, Cd, Hg, and Ni defined in the WFD. The elemental concentrations in the water samples roughly corresponded to one of the established environmental quality standards (EQS), the annual average concentration (AA-EQS), which is defined in the daughter Directive 2008/105/EC of the WFD. It turned out that a significant number of TLs still need to improve their measurement methods in order to be able to fulfill the Minimum requirements of the WFD, in particular, with regard to the elements Cd and Hg probably due to their low EQS values. Furthermore, it became obvious that the hierarchical Dissemination system suggested here actually corresponds to the measuring capabilities of the three participating Groups (NMIs, PCLs, and TLs). KW - Metrology KW - Metrological traceability KW - Comparability KW - Elemental analysis KW - Water framework directive PY - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-011-0792-z SN - 0949-1775 SN - 1432-0517 VL - 16 IS - 10 SP - 489 EP - 498 PB - Springer CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-24485 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kipphardt, Heinrich A1 - Matschat, Ralf A1 - Rienitz, O. A1 - Schiel, D. A1 - Gernand, W. A1 - Oeter, D. T1 - Traceability system for elemental analysis N2 - A complete metrological traceability system for measurement results of chemical analysis was set up. Core components are pure substances (national standards) characterised at the highest metrological level, primary solutions prepared from these pure substances and secondary solutions deduced from the primary solutions and intended for sale. The relative uncertainty of the element mass fraction of the primary substances and solutions is < 0.01 and < 0.05%, respectively. For the certification of transfer solutions and for stability testing, a precision measurement method for element contents has been developed by means of optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) by which uncertainties between 0.1 and 0.05% can be achieved. The dissemination to field laboratories is effected with the aid of a calibration laboratory of the German Calibration Service (DKD) which certifies the element content of the secondary solutions with an uncertainty <= 0.3%. Calibration with these solutions enables the user to establish traceability of his measurement results to the International System of Units (SI). Currently, the system comprises Cu, Fe, Bi, Ga, Si, Na, K, Sn, W, and Pb. KW - Elemental analysis KW - Traceability KW - Elemental calibration solutions KW - Pure substances KW - Precision measurement of elements PY - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-005-0084-6 SN - 0949-1775 SN - 1432-0517 VL - 10 IS - 11 SP - 633 EP - 639 PB - Springer CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-12199 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -