Valid analytical measurements

Abstract The Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme was set up by the Department of Trade and Industry as part of its support for the UK National Measurement System. This paper gives an overview of the VAM programme together with a description of the principles on which valid analytical measurement should be based. This is followed by a 

Key words Valid analytical measurements Marketing technology Technology transfer 

Analytical measurement has a vital role in ensuring the quality of goods and commodities and in supporting Government in areas such as revenue collection, health and safety, environmental protection, agriculture and law enforcement. Clearly the data from analytical measurements 

Following a review of its support for the National Measurement System (NMS) [1] in 1989, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) set up the Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme, recognising for the first time the need to include analytical measurements within the NMS. Previously it had been concerned mainly with physical measurements. 

The objectives of the NMS are to enable individuals and organisations in the United Kingdom to make measurements competently and accurately and to demonstrate the validity of such measurements to co-ordinate the UK s measurement system with measurement systems of other countries. 

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The UK Government has, for more than six years, funded the Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) Programme, which is aimed at improving the quality and comparability of analytical measurements. The work undertaken within VAM is key to the underpinning of a modern physico-chemical and biochemical National Measurement System, By disseminating the activities of VAM across international boundaries and linking with other national measurement system VAM also aims to ensure the comparability of data worldwide. Thus VAM provides an infrastructure under which reliable measurements can be made for trade, regulation and health and safety provision. 

AO AC Technical Division on RMs United States Department of Defense United States Food and Drug Administration US Geological Survey United States Pharmacopoeia Valid Analytical Measurement, UK World Health Organization... 

Barwick, V., Preparation of Calibration Curves. A Guide to Best Practice, Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) Programme, LGC, Teddington, UK, 2003. [http //www.vam. org.uk]. 

LGC has a strong interest in the quality of analytical measurements and played a lead role in the development of the UK s initiative on Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM). This is a programme supported by the UK government as part of the DTI programmes supporting the national measurement system. 

After five years as an analyst, Vicki moved within LGC to work on the DTI-funded Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme. In this role, she was responsible for providing advice and developing guidance on method validation, measurement uncertainty and statistics. One of her key projects involved the development of approaches for evaluating the uncertainty in results obtained from chemical test methods. During this time, Vicki also became involved with the development and delivery of training courses on topics such as method validation, measurement uncertainty, quality systems and statistics for analytical chemists. 

LGC, VAMSTAT II, Statistics Training for Valid Analytical Measurements. CD-ROM, Laboratoryof the Government Chemist, Teddington2000... 

In recent years the term qualimetrics has been coined to refer to the use of chemometrics for the purposes of quality control (Massart et al. 1997). ft relates particularly to the use of multivariate analysis of process control measurements. Other texts on quality assurance in chemical laboratories include the latest edition of Garfield s book published by AOAC International (Garfield et al. 2000), material published through the Valid Analytical Measurement program by the LGC (Prichard 1995), and books from the Royal Society of Chemistry (Parkany 1993,1995 Sargent and MacKay 1995). Wenclawiak et al. (2004) have edited a series of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations on aspects of quality assurance. 

The Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM LGC 2005) program of the LGC (the U.K. National Measurement Institute for chemical measurements) typifies a modern approach to quality in chemical measurements. The program s six principles are a clear exposition of the important aspects of making reliable analytical measurements ... 

LGC (2005), Valid Analytical Measurement Programme web site, http // www.vam.org.uk/. [accessed 21 July 2005]... 

In this reprise of the book s contents I revisit the six principles of valid analytical measurement (VAM) so cleverly enunciated by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist. But first some words about clients and samples. 

So are you now in a position to make valid analytical measurements Recall the six principles (LGC 2006) ... 

Recently, the topic of method development for both routine and non-routine analyses has been the subject of two EURACHEM documents The Fitness for Purpose of Analytical Methods and Quality Assurance for Research and Development and Non-routine Analysis as part of the VAM (Valid Analytical Measurements) programme. These guides provide information and a bibliography for ISO publications. 

Acknowledgements The work described in this paper forms part of the Valid Analytical Measurement Programme, which is funded by the UK Department of Trade and Industry. The data for the figures demonstrating IDMS measurements of sulfur were provided by Ruth Hearn. 

Keywords Traceability Laboratory of the Government Chemist Valid Analytical Measurement Calibration... 

Valid Analytical Measurement) Programme [2] and this trend has continued with the recent establishment at LGC of the UK Chemical Calibration Facility which provides a focus for achieving trace-ability in ISO 17025 accredited laboratories. 

Chemist. Shortly afterwards the LGC expanded its research role and moved into a single new laboratory, but still in its traditional central London location. The first major change, after almost 150 years, occurred in 1988 when LGC was designated a Government agency and moved to a new, purpose-built laboratory at Tedding-ton to the south west of London. At this time LGC took on a number of chemistry-related activities previously carried out at NPL, particularly the Office of Reference Materials, and the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) VAM (Valid Analytical Measurement) programme was established. 

The national centre for analytical science, a role which includes valid analytical measurement, measurement in support of regulation and innovation in analytical science... 

Production of this guide was supported under contract with the Department of Trade and Industry as part of the National Measurement System Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme. 

With its straightforward descriptions and many examples, this handbook, produced as part of the VAM (Valid Analytical Measurement) programme, will provide valuable assistance for a wide variety of new and experienced practitioners, as well as for teachers and lecturers. 

An experimental determination of reproducibility should also coincide with a theoretical calculation based on the known, or estimated, precision of the individual steps of the method. The so-called bottom up method as part of an uncertainty audit, is included in the principles of valid analytical measurement (YAM) [7-9],... 

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