Interlaboratory round robin

Rautio, M. "An International Interlaboratory Round-Robin Test for Chemical Warfare Agents." Kemia-Kemi 18 (1991) 19-21 (In Finnish). 

Following the guidelines of ASTM D 6300, repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) were determined from the data shown in Table 6. The results are given in Table 7 along with the mean of each sample and the standard deviations of r and R. The repeatability results show significant improvement over that of the ASTM D 7039-04. The reproducibility results are similar to that of inter-laboratory study (ILS) in 2002 [3]. Further interlaboratory round robin studies will be needed to confirm the reproducibility. 

Mattingly, G.E., An Interlaboratory Round Robin Flowmeter Test Using Turbine Meters Flowing Water, in preparation as a U.S. National Bureau of Standards Int. Report. 

External quality assurance, usually by participation in interlaboratory (round robin) tests, also contributes to the detection and avoidance of systematic errors. 

The precision of BRDF is inconclusive based on the results of an interlaboratory round robin conducted in 1988 (7). This round robin was conducted at a single wavelength (0.6328 /im), angle of incidence (10°), polarization state (s incident), and with four specific sample surfaces. It was found that precision depends on the BRDF level and scatter angle as discussed in Ref. (8). Additional information on precision was accumulated in a 10.6-/im roimd robin conducted in 1989 (9). 

It must be remarked that terminology is not consistent and there are many widely used synon)ms. Quality control in this Chapter refers to practices best described as internal quality control. Quahty assessment is often referred to as external quality control, proficiency testing, interlaboratory comparisons, round robins or other terms. Internal Quality Control and External Quality Assessment are preferred because they best describe the objectives for which the RMs are being used, i.e. the immediate and active control of the results being reported from an analytical run or event, and an objective, retrospective assessment of the quality of those results. 

Other classes of reference materials now in existence include secondary reference materials. These are materials produced commercially for reference purposes, but whose guarantee rests soley with the producer. "Analyzed" materials such as geological materials obtained from the United Staes Geological Survey, represent test samples that complement the variety available from the previously mentioned sources. However, the "accepted" analyses reported for these materials are based upon consensus values obtained from large scale interlaboratory collaborative tests (round robins). Analysis of these materials can provide a useful means of comparing performance with other laboratories, but it does not ensure accuracy. In addi-... 

Furthermore, isotope standard reference materials are required in different chemical forms for a multitude of elements in order to calibrate and evaluate isotope ratio measurements by mass spectrometry. In addition, reliable analytical data required in science and routine work will only be obtained by improving the quality assurance of the measurement procedures and also using interlaboratory comparisons of analytical results in round robin tests. 

Peplinski B, Schultze D, Wenzel J (2001) Interlaboratory comparison (round robin) on the application of the Rietveld method to quantitative phase analysis by X-ray and neutron diffraction. In Delhez R, Mittemeijer EJ (eds) Proc 7th European powder diffraction conference (EPDIC-7), Barcelona, Spain, 20th 23rd May 2000, Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland, p 124... 

Without going too deeply into details we will refer to cooperative tests ( round robins , interlaboratory comparisons) in which two basic aims are ... 

EPA round robin studies is another quality assessment tool that is effective in revealing deficiencies in laboratory s ability to correctly identify and quantify environmental pollutants. The EPA performs these studies on a regular schedule and evaluates the results for the purpose of establishing interlaboratory precision, which is a measure of variability among the results obtained for the same sample at different laboratories. (Interlaboratory precision or reproducibility is another secondary DQI.)... 

F International Interlaboratory Comparison (Round Robin) Test for the Verification of Chemical Disarmament. 

Between 1989 and 1993, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFTN) initiated four international interlaboratory comparison (round-robin) tests for the verification of chemical disarmament (2) to test the effectiveness of their procedures for the recovery of treaty-related chemicals (Chemical Warfare agents... 

The first international interlaboratory comparison (round-robin) test for the verification of chemical disarmament took place in 1989 as a Finnish initiative. This test and three subsequent tests were coordinated by Finnish CW Project(2). The Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission of the OPCW coordinated the first international interlaboratory comparison test in 1994 (3) and two trial proficiency tests in... 

Sample preparation procedures and analytical techniques for the off-site laboratories of the CWC have been developed and tested in five international interlaboratory comparison (round-robin) tests (1 5), in two trial proficiency tests, and in more than 14 official proficiency tests (see Chapter 6). The Recommended Operating Procedures (ROPs) for sampling and sample preparation (6,7) were written and updated on the basis of the results of the round-robin tests. The ROPs (see Table 1) were designed to be comprehensive enough to allow the analysis of all CWC-related chemicals. Accordingly, some of the procedures contain many sample preparation steps. It is also recommended that the ROPs should be used as first choice in the analysis, with other approaches not excluded. 

Table 2. Sample types in the international interlaboratory comparison (round-robin) tests for verification of chemical disarmament arranged for method development and testing...

M. Rautio (Ed.), International Interlaboratory Comparison (Round-Robin) Test for the Verification of Chemical Disarmament, F.l. Testing of Existing Procedures, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki, 1990. 

During several international interlaboratory comparisons (round-robin) and proficiency tests for the... 

Figure 3. Chromatograms of an extract of a rubber sample containing two mustard agents (peaks marked with 2 and 3) (a) Gram-Schmidt chromatogram and (b) functional group chromatogram 750-680 cm-1 (Reproduced by Permission of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs from International Interlaboratory Comparison (Round-Robin) Test for the Verification of the Chemical Disarmament, F.3. Testing of Procedures on Simulated Industry Samples, The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki, Finland, 1992, ref. 18)...

The development of CE analytical methods for CW-related compounds has been directed primarily toward the analysis of these compounds in environmental matrices such as soil and water. These methods have been used in the analysis of samples distributed as part of the interlaboratory comparisons exercises, the so-called round-robin exercises coordinated by Finland, and more recently, the OPCW Laboratory Proficiency Testing. 

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