A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method for the simultaneous determination of a large number of pesticides (46) with a wide range of polarities and chemical structures (organochlorine, organophosphorous, triazines, pyrethroids and others) in water samples by GC-MS has been developed. Three different fibres and parameters that influence the extraction and desorption efficiency were studied. ...

In response to the guidelines issued by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB-International) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, NIST and the ATF initiated a joint project, entitled the National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC). The NBIC project aims to establish a national traceability and qualit...

M. Bickel European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through its Technical Co-operation Programme, has supported the establishment of many nuclear analytical and complementary laboratories in Member States. This included the development of capabilities ...

The aim of this model is to analyse quality management systems from the standpoint of the organization of complex systems introduced by Robert Rosen. The concept that an organized system, under certain conditions, can be modelled as a living system introduces unsuspected tools to analyse its behaviour. The model is oriented towards the understanding of the implications of modifications introduc...

A competency-based training curriculum framework for U.S. state food and feed testing laboratories personnel is being developed by the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) and three partners. The framework will help laboratories catalog existing training courses/modules, identify training gaps, inform training curricula, and create career-spanning professional development le...

Laboratory data credibility has 3 major components: 1) valid methods, 2) proficiency testing (PT) to verify that the analyst can conduct the method and to compare results of other laboratories using the same method, and 3) third-party accreditation to verify that the laboratory is competent to conduct testing and that the method validation has been done within the environment and requirements o...

The responsivity of two optical detectors was determined by the method of direct substitution in four different NIST measurement facilities. The measurements were intended to demonstrate the determination of absolute responsivity as provided by NIST calibration services at laser and optical-communication wavelengths; nominally 633 nm, 850 nm, 1060 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm. The optical detectors...

An increasing number of veterinary laboratories worldwide have obtained or are seeking certification based on international standards, such as the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission 17025. Compliance with any certification standard or quality management system requires quality documentation, an activity that may present several unique challe...

The Paternity Testing Commission (PTC) of the International Society for Forensic Genetics has taken up the task of establishing the biostatistical recommendations in accordance with the ISO 17025 standards and a previous set of ISFG recommendations specific to the genetic investigations in paternity cases. In the initial set, the PTC recommended that biostatistical evaluations of paternity are ...