Abstract
The aim of International Evaluation Programme (IMEP) is to present objectively the quality of chemical measurements. Participants in IMEP compare their reported measurement results with independent external certified reference values with demonstrated traceability and uncertainty, as evaluated according to international guidelines. Three major interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs), IMEP-6, IMEP-9 and IMEP-12, on trace elements in water were carried out from 1994 to 2000. Participants' results for Cd, Fe and Pb concentrations from these three different IMEP water ILCs were compared by means of suitable performance indicators. The performance evaluation criteria were set according to the requirements stated in the Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Two different performance indicators were selected for evaluation of the individual participants' results: the commonly used z-score and the not so well-known E n number. The group performance indicator is based on the variation of z-scores. To assess the individual measurement performance, not only the deviation of the reported measurement values from the certified reference value, but also criteria for maximum and minimum acceptable uncertainties were taken into account. The participants' performance is also reviewed by means of using a simple graphical tool, called “Naji-plots”.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, ISO, Geneva, 1995
ISO/IEC 17025:1999: general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
Taylor P, Brinkmann K, Papadakis I, Cortez L, Bednarova M, Aregbe Y (2002) Accred Qual Assur 7(4):168
Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption
http://www.irmm.jrc.be/html/interlaboratory_comparisons/imep
Horwitz W (1982) Anal Chem 54:67A–76A
Thompson M (2000) Analyst 125:385–386
ISO/DIS 13528:2002 (E) Statistical methods for use in proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparisons, draft version from 18.2.2002
Meloun M, Militky J (2002) Kompendium statistickeho zpracovani dat. Academia, Praha
Barnett V, Lewis T (1994) Outliers in Statistical data, Third Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester
Davies PL (1988) Statistical evaluation of interlaboratory tests. Fresenius Z. Anal. Chem 331:513–519
ISO/IEC Guide 43-1:1997 Proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparison – Part 1: Development and operation of proficiency testing schemes
Kaarls R, Quinn TJ (1997) The CCQM: a brief review of its origin and present activities metrologia
Aregbe Y, Robouch P, Coleman T, Taylor PDP, World Meteorological organization Global Watch WMO TD No. 1195
Aregbe Y et al. (2004) Accred Qual Assur 9:323–332
Robouch P, Younes N, Vermaercke P (2003) PTB-IT-10: 149, ISSN 0942-1785, ISBN 3-89701-933-3
EURACHEM/CITAC Guide, Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement, 2nd Edition (2000)
Boley NP, De Bievre P, Taylor PDP, Uldall A (2001) Accred Qual Assur 6:244–251
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bednarova, M., Aregbe, Y., Harper, C. et al. Evaluation of laboratory performance in IMEP water interlaboratory comparisons. Accred Qual Assur 10, 617–626 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-005-0031-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-005-0031-6