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Metrology in chemistry (MIC)

Objective

Specific Objectives

Support to CCs to join the attempts to set up an internationally structured measurement system for chemical (non-nuclear) measurements in Europe.

- To set-up an operational network of NMIs in these domains, linked with IRMM
(acting as Trans-national Measurement Institute of the EC). Contacts and working relations with virtually all CCs NMIs are already established;

- To support CC -NMIs to set up a structured system for chemical measurements in their countries, by giving them advice, training, as well as participation to the existing programmes.
Planned Deliverables

- Demonstration of the Degree of Equivalence of the Measurement Capability
(DDEMC) in the different countries (via graphical presentations) and link them to the EU and international system;

- Documented evidence of the state-of-the-practice (SoP) of the quality of chemical measurements in these countries (in various reports) and comparison with the EU acquis in this field;

- Training of scientists in these areas;

- Improved understanding in these matters with the key players in this field, e.g. with NMIs, and with governmental/regulating bodies, EC staff from DGs being involved.

Itemised Action Plan

- Interdisciplinary seminar on "Improving metrological chemical measurement infrastructure of CCs": One day seminar to bring together CC National Measurement Institutes, national regulating bodies and enforcing agencies, accreditation bodies, European Commission staff.

- Training course: an appended separate 2 day follow-on event, where the laboratory NMI staff (estimate 15 people) acting as IMEP regional co-ordinators would receive a scientific technical training concerning quality of chemical measurement results (Quality systems, accreditation, role of IMEP);

- Secondment of NMI staff & fellowships: this staff will receive on-the-job training at IRMM on matters of trace ability of chemical measurement results, the application of Primary Methods of Measurement, the evaluation of measurement uncertainty in chemical measurements. Minimum period of stay is 6 months, suitable candidates to be found amongst the different CC NMIs;

- Participation of CC laboratories to IMEP rounds:
Via the NMIs, the key laboratories (acting as reference laboratories, or having a contract with the NMI) will be invited to participate to these IMEP rounds.
Two areas are covered.

Food:
IMEP-16 lead in wine (important for import/export) and IMEP-19 cadmium in rice (important for import; possible contaminant in foodstuff).
Environment:
IMEP-14 metals in sediment (contamination of sediment/soils serious concern in CCs), IMEP-18 sulphur in fuel (directive 98/70/EC).

- Metrological support to field laboratories via NMIs:
CC NMIs are to provide the field laboratories in their own countries metrological support, e.g. education and training initiatives, purchase of certified reference materials, promotional activities IMEP, user meetings IMEP.
For this, IRMM is to make separate contracts with the NMIs of the individual laboratories.

- Assistance of CC NMIs in framework of IMEP:
IRMM will involve certain NMIs (dependent on the skills available) to assist in the data treatment, report writing and interpretation of IMEP data.

- Additional staff at IRMM:
Extra personnel is required (for 3 years) to be able to support the many additional activities this will generate;

- Set up IMEP website: For effective communication with these NMIs (e.g. with IMEP regional co-ordinators) the IRMM website needs to be extended. In this way, people in this network can access up-to-date information;

- Sponsoring of conferences.
Summary of the project

Support to candidate countries to join the efforts to set up an internationally structured measurement system for chemical (non-nuclear) measurements in Europe.

Specific objectives are:
1) to set-up an operational network of National Metrology Institutes (NMI) in these domains linked with IRMM;
2) to support accession's NMIs to set up a structured system for chemical measurements in their countries, by giving advice, training, as well as access to the existing EU programmes. Collaboration with IES and IHCP.

Rationale

On an international scale, the world of chemical measurements is undergoing major changes. As a consequence of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement, countries commenced to address the issue of the equivalence of measurement results. IRMM is playing a key and pioneering role in the CCQM and EUROMET, by providing metrological inter-comparison programmes called IMEP (International Measurement Evaluation Programme; IMEP rounds form the basis of EUROMET and CCQM Key comparisons) and top quality reference materials. IRMM signed the CIPM MRA in October 1999, hereby representing the European Commission. IMEP provides a means to demonstrate the measurement capability of (reference) laboratories in the various countries of the EU in an impartial way, via the measurement of Certified Test Samples (CTS) with undisclosed reference values. Through participation in IMEP, laboratories from CCs can demonstrate the degree of equivalence of their measurement capability (DDEMC), and compare that to the present acquis of the EU.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements
EU contribution
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Address
Retieseweg
B-2440 Geel
Belgium

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Total cost
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