The Role of Reference Materials and Reference Methods in Chemical Analysis

Abstract

I. INTRODUCTION A. Scope and Purpose of the Review The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview and review of the role of reference materials and reference methods in chemical analysis. Our primary concern is with the use of reference materials and reference methods in transferring accuracy and precision throughout large multilaboratory measurement networks. Although reference materials and reference methods can be effectively used to assure accuracy and precision within an individual laboratory, the great demand for compatible national measurement systems has led to their increased utilization in a total systems approach to accurate measurements in a variety of areas of chemical analysis. This paper first describes the concepts that provide the basis for the use of reference methods and reference materials to achieve measurement compatibility in multilaboratory networks. The basic concepts necessary to understand the measurement process itself are described. A conceptual systems model involvi...