EURACHEM reports. Comparability and traceability in measurements of amount of substance: report of a EURACHEM workshop held in Geel, Belgium, on November 11–12, 1992

Abstract

This workshop explored why, despite 150 years experience of carrying out chemical analysis, we are not clear about some of the underpinning concepts and still do not have an adequate organizational infrastructure to ensure that measurements made in different countries can agree. Over 60 chemical measurement experts from Western Europe, with observers from Eastern Europe, Russia and the USA, took part in plenary sessions and group discussions. The topics considered included: measurement traceability/comparability, calibration, measurement uncertainty, measurement validation, interlaboratory comparisons and accreditation. Over 50 conclusions and recommendations were reported to the EURACHEM Committee for action. From these the Workshop Technical Committee have prepared 15 composite recommendations which are reported in this paper.