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News from the Lab  Articles Online  Analytical Quick Tip  IV Line Humor  Is your standard as good as you think?

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PittCon 2005
Free Giveaways at Booth 4177
We're gearing up to appear at PittCon 2005. Visit us at booth 4177 and find out how you can receive a FREE 125mL standard. We'd love to see you in person.

The Pittsburgh Conference will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from February 27 through March 4, 2005. details »

Segregate glassware used for trace metals analysis. Glassware can be a major source of contamination. In addition, it is suggested that glassware used with HCl be segregated from that used with nitric acid, sulfuric acid, etc. This will help avoid potential losses of Ag as the chloride and Pb as the sulfate.

Concerned with the accuracy of your analyses? Remember, the quality of your standard will directly affect your results. But how can you gauge a standard's quality before you use it?

The International Standard Organization (ISO) provides worldwide guidelines for quality. Manufacturers can choose to apply for accreditations that are specific to their industry. After passing a series of rigorous audits, they'll receive the appropriate ISO accreditation. These accreditations help prove the validity of their "quality" claims to you, the consumer. But which ISO credentials are important?

Ideally, manufacturers of chemical standards (also known as certified reference materials or CRMs) should be accredited to three:

1. GOOD:  ISO 9001:2000
   
   Certifies that a manufacturer is running a business with quality-conscious procedures in place. However, this accreditation says nothing about laboratory proficiency or CRM production.
   
   
2. BETTER:  ISO 17025:1999
   
   To be ISO 17025 certified, a manufacturer must be proficient in laboratory testing as well as testing the quality of their products. Still, this guide does not require competency specific to CRM manufacturing.
   
   
3. BEST:  ISO Guide 34:2000
   
   This is the only accreditation that deals directly with the production of CRMs. All methods that the manufacturer uses to certify their standards must be validated and proven to be accurate. Surprisingly, very few CRM producers carry this key accreditation.

So the next time you're facing a decisive analysis, consider using a standard made by an ISO-accredited manufacturer. The more accreditations they hold, the more confident you can be in their product.

Inorganic Ventures is one of the only standard manufacturers to carry all three of these ISO accreditations.

Articles Online  more articles »

Traceability
Part sixteen, the final installment of our ICP Operations guide, outlines the concept of traceability as it relates to certified reference materials.

Reactions of Sulfur and Bromine
Dr. Gaines offers his expertise regarding sulfur-containing compounds, specifically concerning the reaction between sulfur and bromine.

Analysis of Sediment Samples
Dr. Gaines provides some recommendations when analyzing sediment samples for cesium.

IV Line Humor  more humor »

Florence Flask was getting ready for the opera. All of a sudden, she screamed: "Erlenmeyer, my joules! Somebody has stolen my joules!" The husband replied, "Calm down, honey. We'll find a solution."