Procedures for certification of BCR environmental reference materials

摘要

Environmental reference materials (RMs) are assuming increasing importance to ascer-tain comparability between measurements carried out at different places and at different times. The need for co-operation across national boundaries requires RMs that are certified by organizations that are internationally accepted as being technically competent. The European Commission has certified a considerable number of environmental RMs under the name BCR (Bureau Communautaire de Reference) and methods of certification are continually being updated. A BCR certification is invariably based on the collaborative efforts of a number of European laboratories with demonstrated competence in their field. The paper presents an overview of the principles and procedures now being followed before a certificate of analysis is issued.