Equipment qualification (EQ) is a formal process associated with the acquisition, commissioning and use of laboratory equipment. It provides documented evidence that an instrument is fit for its intended purpose and kept in a state of maintenance and calibration consistent with its use.
The original general guidance on equipment qualification was published by Bedson and Sargent, see Accred. Qual. Assur., 1996, 1, 265-274. This has been followed by a series of guides on specific techniques. The first was on High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). This guide, the second in the series, deals with UV-Visible spectrometers. In 22 pages it gives advice on the sort of issues that should be considered at each stage from purchasing an instrument to the day-to-day performance checks. The text has been produced by an expert working group and is supported by an extensive bibliography.