Quality Assurance & Quality Control in Analytical Laboratories

These flashcards cover the fundamental concepts of QA/QC in analytical laboratories, including VAM principles, sample types (blind, spiked, blank), and calibration protocols.

__________ is defined as the essential organizational infrastructure that underlies all reliable analytical measurements.

Quality assurance

The UK Department for Trade and Industry launched the __________ initiative in 1994, which is built on six core principles.

Valid Analytical Measurement

The third principle of the VAM initiative states that staff making analytical measurements should be both __________ and __________ to undertake the task.

qualified and competent

__________ are repeated samples placed in the analytical path without the knowledge of the analyst to provide information about analyst proficiency.

Blind samples

__________ are samples of known concentration added during analysis to check accuracy and precision by comparing the calculated method with the actual one.

QC (Quality Control) samples

A __________ is a sample intentionally fortified with a known quantity of analyte to evaluate recovery rates and matrix effects.

spiked sample

The comparison of test results obtained by one testing laboratory with those obtained by one or more other testing laboratories is known as __________.

proficiency testing

The simplest form of blank is the __________, where the analytical procedure is executed in all respects apart from the addition of the test portion.

reagent blank

A __________ is described as a typical matrix with zero concentration of analyte and is considered the best type of blank.

field blank

The type of blank used specifically to check an instrument's baseline is the __________ blank.

instrument

__________ is the process of comparing instrument accuracy to known standards and validating specific measurement techniques.

Calibration

Standard buffer solutions with pH values of $,$ $,$ and $,$ are commonly used to calibrate pH meters.

4.00, 7.00, 10.00

Analytical balances are typically calibrated using standard weights labeled as __________ or __________.

F1, F2

The process of establishing that the zero point of a device corresponds to zero on the relevant scale, such as for a UV-vis spectrophotometer, is called __________.

zeroing

Calibration should be performed with a new instrument, when a specified time or usage has elapsed, or whenever observations appear __________.

questionable

Calibration should not be confused with the adjustment of a measuring system, which is often mistakenly referred to as __________.

self calibration