WORKING GROUPS
WG2: Metrology and standardization
Leaders: D. Eichert [IT] & T. Hase [UK]
The main goal of the WG2 “Metrology and Standardization”, is to help in establishing TXRF as a reference/ certified technique for reliable elemental analysis, both for screening and accurate quantitative determination.
This will be tackled via the following objectives and activitie:
Objectives
- To describe TXRF workflow and its domains of applicability;
- To validate protocols for sample preparation, measurement conditions and TXRF analysis by means of interlaboratory studies and comparison with other independent techniques;
- To ensure the quality and validity of quantification procedures, via monitoring the repeatability, reproducibility and accuracy of the proposed protocols (good laboratory and quality management practices);
- To enhance technical standards, standard operating procedures, norms (pre-normative activities) and EC regulations and to provide input to standardization bodies and metrology institutes, also within the frame of ISO;
Activities
- Development of a common definition of the state of the art for TXRF;
- Review and update of TXRF related standardization and exploitation activities;
- Review and definition of the availability of standards and qualified applications for e.g. quality control equipment and analytical services to support the competitiveness of related- industries;
- Survey and questionnaire to stakeholders to outline standardization needs;
- Joining the separate approaches of chemical and physical traceability needed to propose TXRF as a primary chemical method;
- Defining and scoping documents for inter-laboratories studies;
- Coordination of inter-laboratory studies and joint experimentation at the European and Worldwide level of different samples, defined as critical by current regulation bodies;
- Quality assurance, robustness and traceability of analyses results;
- Proposing new standards to be developed, and update on the existing standards;
- Ensuring bridges with liaison bodies such as standardization entities (ISO, CEN, and corresponding National standardization bodies), regulation entities (European Commission), pre-normative research networks (VAMAS), Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance (CCQM), metrology institutes and stakeholders
- Connecting and strengthening collaborations among European and International scientists and experts with different background to create an accessible pool of competences consortia for researchers;
- Developing a realistic TXRF road map by identification of the needs and barriers related to cost and performances;
- Engaging industrial, metrology institute stakeholders;
- Organization of dissemination events such as Conferences and training Schools, sessions and workshops dedicated to metrology and standardization.
