Quality Improvement of Commercially Available Certified Reference Gas Mixtures

Abstract

In Russia, the metrological traceability of certified reference materials for the composition of gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure produced by the manufacturers of certified reference materials is carried out in accordance with GOST 8.578-2014. Certified reference materials for the composition of gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure are applied in type approval testing of measuring instruments, verification, calibration and graduation of gas analytical measuring instruments intended for controlling fire and explosion hazardous gases and vapours, harmful components in the atmospheric and workplace air, emissions of vehicles and industrial enterprises, control of technological processes and quality of hydrocarbon products, etc. In this connection, ensuring the quality of commercially available certified reference materials, which number has recently amounted to about 100,000 cylinders with gas mixtures per year, is an important task. In this paper, we suggest a set of measures aimed at ensuring the quality of certified reference gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure, mass-produced by the manufacturers of certified reference materials: mandatory accreditation of reference material producers (RMPs) for compliance with the requirements of GOST ISO Guide 34-2014 and GOST ISO Guide 35-2015; constant participation of RMPs in proficiency testing programmes through interlaboratory comparisons; updating and revision of the existing set of standards defining the requirements for the entire life cycle of certified reference gas mixtures in cylinders under pressure; improvement of the method for reference material certification by calculating the value of their expanded uncertainty and introducing of a new, “technological reserve”, factor.

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