ABSTRACT
The quality of chemical measurements, and thus of analytical results, is an important issue in modern society, in uencing as it does to a great extent the quality of life as well as global trade. The quality of analytical results is also important in a whole range of scienti c disciplines in which chemical measurements are made, for example, biology, geology, medicine, microbiology, mineralogy, ecology, pharmacy, and toxicology. Although it is dif cult to evaluate accurately the real impact of chemical measurements on all aspects of economic and social activities, it is clear that they are playing an increasingly important role in decision-making at the of cial, legal, or private level. It has therefore been recognized by those who need analytical data, and in particular, by those interested in environmentally related investigations, that the quality of the analytical data should be guaranteed. Clearly, it is important to deliver accurate results and to be able to show that they are correct. The importance of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) is therefore well established and accepted in analytical chemistry.
