This composite report is made up of five individual final reports. It covers all the activities that have contributed to the major developments in the high accuracy trace inorganic analysis project (4.2.1) during the current VAM programme (1997-2000).
The main purpose behind this 3-year project (4.2.1) was to establish the ability to perform high accuracy trace metal analyses for a range of analytes under a variety of conditions. The benefits of such developments were to be shared with the UK analytical community by dissemination with publications and presentations, and by practical exercises organised under Project 4.2.3 “Collaboration with the analytical community”.
An equally important role for these developments was to establish a proven UK capability with the international analytical community. In particular, LGC serves as the UK representative for studies organised by the Comité Consultatif pour la Quantité de Matière (CCQM), designed to establish international equivalence in chemical measurements. Such a goal will then serve to benefit international trade and resolve issues concerned with worldwide environmental measurements. This analytical capability was established and tested by participation in a number of international “blind trials”. The very creditable LGC (UK) performance in these trials is detailed within this report.