Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Analytical Chemical Laboratory

Book excerpt: A Practical Tool for Learning New Methods Quality assurance and measurement uncertainty in analytical laboratories has become increasingly important. To meet increased scrutiny and keep up with new methods, practitioners very often have to rely on self-study. A practical textbook for students and a self-study tool for analytical laboratory employees, Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Analytical Chemical Laboratory: A Practical Approach defines the tools used in QA/QC, especially the application of statistical tools during analytical data treatment. Unified Coverage of QA in Analytical Chemistry Clearly written and logically organized, this book delineates the concepts of practical QA/QC, taking a generic approach that can be applied to any field of analysis. Using an approach grounded in hands-on experience, the book begins with the theory behind quality control systems and then moves on to discuss examples of tools such as validation parameter measurements, the use of statistical tests, counting the margin of error, and estimating uncertainty. The authors draw on their experience in uncertainty estimation, traceability, reference materials, statistics, proficiency tests, and method validation to provide practical guidance on each step of the process. Extended Coverage of QC/QA in Analytical and Testing Laboratories Presenting guidance on all aspects of QA and measurement results, the book covers QC/QA in a more complex and extended manner than other books on this topic. This range of coverage supplies an integrated view on measures like the use of reference materials and method validation. With worked-out examples and Excel spreadsheets that users can use to try the concepts themselves, the book provides not only know-what but know-how.