Chemical Metrology in the Americas

The following article

Subject : Chemical Metrology in the Americas
Abstract: The Inter-American Metrology System is a broad agreement among national metrology institutes from all 34 member nations of the Orga...
Link : http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/feature_tea.html?id=c373e9079e2d2f368f6a17245d830100 has a broken link. I am reproducing the article in its entirety (03 October 2007) until I can find the new link to it, if there is one.


Chemical Metrology in the Americas


Bradley D. Miller
www.chemistry.org

The Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) is a broad agreement among national metrology institutes (NMIs) from all 34 member nations of the Organization of American States (OAS). Organized in five subregions (NORAMET, CARIMET, CAMET, ANDIMET, and SURAMET), SIM was created to promote international, particularly Inter-American, and regional cooperation in metrology.
An area of specific concern to SIM as a region is chemical metrology. Chemical metrology involves the development of methods, capabilities and facilities to address chemical measurement traceability, uncertainty analysis, standards availability, documentary standards development and distribution, accreditation needs and requirements, benchmarking criteria, and interlaboratory comparisons.

The SIM technical working group dedicated to chemical metrology emphasizes communication and information sharing in its activities. To address the unique needs of all 34 countries within SIM, whose capabilities in chemical metrology span a very broad range, the leadership of the technical working group has initially focused SIM Chemical Metrology activities on training and capability assessment. This has been accomplished through (1) Outreach and Awareness Activities within the ANDIMET, CAMET, CARIMET, and SURAMET subregions; and (2) Chemical Measurement Proficiency Assessment Comparison Studies.

The Chemical Metrology Awareness Seminars are targeted to governmental decision makers and representatives from NMIs within the particular subregion. Since 2003 these seminars have been conducted in Jamaica, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru, and Trinidad & Tobago. Content typically addresses topics on chemical metrology and its impact on trade and quality of life and the current worldwide infrastructure on facilitating chemical measurement traceability and comparability. There are also lectures—localized to the region—on clinical diagnostics, environmental quality, and food safety and nutrition.

The workshops on Critical Evaluation of Comparison Results are open to NMIs from the host subregion plus all participants in any particular comparison study in which an NMI receives and analyzes a test sample and then works with peer NMIs to determine best practices moving toward equivalency in interlaboratory comparisons. Past SIM chemistry proficiency assessment studies have focused on trace elements in water, pH, automotive exhaust emissions, cholesterol serum, ethanol in aqueous matrix, water quality–electrolytic conductivity, and toxic metals in seafood.

Willie E. May director the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (CSTL/NIST), serves as chair of the SIM Chemical Metrology Working Group, and his efforts focus on building and supporting a chemical metrological structure in the Americas to ensure equity in the marketplace, facilitate international trade, ensure uniformity of measurements, and improve the quality of life for all citizens of the region.

This article first appeared on November 21, 2005.


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