Working paper on QAQC in support of WFD Chemical monitoring activity

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Working paper on QA/QC in support of
WFDChemical monitoring activity

• A.-M. Fouillac (BRGM)

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• Context of this working paper on QA/QC in support
  of WFD
• LINK WITH EAQC-WISE

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EAQC-WISEEuropean Analytical Quality Control in
support of the Water Framework Directive via the
Water Information System for Europe

• 6th FP Scientific Support to Policies project
• Coordinator BRGM (FR) Scientific coordinator
  JRC-IRMM
• 17 partners from 10 countries FR, AT, UK, SL,
  SK, DE, IT, NL, PL, SE
• Start date 1st December 2005 duration 3 years
• Objectives
• To study different structures existing QA/QC
  system at national and EU level
• To identify gaps and needs for additional
  research and standardisation
• To derive a recommended approach of a QA/QC
  system that is likely to work at Member State, at
  river basin and at European scale.
• To assess the impact of such a recommended AQC
  system.
• To check the applicability and validity by means
  of case studies
• To derive a communication system to efficiently
  link scientific and policy-making communities
• To produce a sustainable dissemination mechanism
  of reliable training appropriate to laboratories
  engaged in the analysis of matrices associated
  with WFD implementation
• EC- DG Research - FP6 funded project -
  Contract N022603 (STREP)

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Link between CMA document and EAQC-WISE project

• The ultimate goal of EAQC-WISE is the
  establishment in the long term of a sustainable
  pan-EU QA/QC system for water, biota and related
  soil monitoring data that can be deployed in an
  integrated way at the regional, national and
  European level to ensure the reliability and
  comparability of these data
• The CMA document
• is a legally-binding text which has to be
  developed with Member States and support from RTD
  experts
• has to be available before the WFD monitoring
  programmes will be operational (end of 2006)
• will pose the foundation concerning analytical
  issues

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QA/QC working paper

• Entitled
• Implementing Directive 2000/60/EC concerning
  chemical monitoring requirements and the
  interpretation of analytical results

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QA/QC working paper main issues

• Common part concerning analytical issues
• covering GW, SW and MW
• To adapt the ISO 17025 standard to the WFD
  requirements in order to establish a general
  framework regarding analytical issues
• Avoiding duplication, providing specifications
  where required
• Legally-binding document
• Regular updating

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QA/QC working paper

• Leading group
• co-ordination Philippe Quevauviller
• Core Leading Group Peter Lepom (DE), Jan
  Wollgast and Georg Hanke (JRC-IES), Ulrich
  Borchers (CEN), Andrea Held (JRC-IRMM) and
  experts from RTD projects (NORMAN, EAQC-WISE)
• Present Status
• Outline presented by P. Taylor (JRC-IRMM) at a
  CMA meeting on November 17
• Comments to be sent to P. Quevauviller
• Final draft expected February 15

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QA/QC working paperStructure of the document

• Statement
• Articles
• Annex

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QA/QC working paper Statement (1)

• to coordinate Member States efforts to improve
  the protection of Community waters, need for
• implementation of common principles
• legally binding minimum requirements for the
  performance of analytical methods
• Comparable monitoring information is necessary in
  order to provide a sound basis for Member States
  to develop programmes of measures aimed at
  achieving the objectives established under the
  Directive 2000/60/EC
• quality and comparability of analytical results
  generated by laboratories mandated by competent
  authorities of the Member States to perform water
  chemical monitoring should be ensured

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QA/QC working paper Statement (2)

• To guarantee the effectiveness of the monitoring
  plan implemented and to ensure the comparability
  of the results, general rules for sampling (and
  sample treatment before reaching the laboratory)
  should be laid down and harmonised
• Monitoring laboratories have to participate in
  external quality control assessment (according to
  ISO 17025 )
• To apply methods properly validated
• CRM for intra-laboratory method validation
• Need to determine common performance criteria for
  the interpretation of test results of monitoring
  laboratories
• Progressive establishment of minimum required
  performance limits of analytical methods for
  targeted substances

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QA/QC working paper Articles

• Definitions
• Sampling and sample treatment
• Analytical methods
• Quality control
• Interpretation of results
• Date of application
• Addresses

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QA/QC working paper Annex PERFORMANCE CRITERIA,
OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR CHEMICAL
MONITORING METHODS UNDER THE WATER FRAMEWORK
DIRECTIVE

• TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
• GENERAL RULES FOR SAMPLING PROCEDURES AND SAMPLE
  TREATMENT
• QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ANALYTICAL METHODS AND
  RESULTS
• QUALITY CONTROL TOOLS
• INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
• ABBREVIATIONS USED
• REFERENCES

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The present draft is a compromise between two
opposite proposals

• A very detailed annex of methodological aspects
  requiring specifications
• A minimal requirement approach
• (as proposed by IRMM)

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IRMMs approach What is most efficient way to
secure comparable analytical results ?

• use quality assurance systems according to ISO
  17025 (accredited laboratories Demonstration of
  competence by successfully participating in an
  appropriate proficiency testing scheme)
• refer to the existing standards where appropriate
  this is a must when what is measured is defined
  operationally
• Avoid technical method specific details, because
  these tend to be quickly outdated
• Only specify the most essential performance
  limits of analytical methods, namely
• LOD/LOQ
• uncertainty
• To make even more robust, this can be related to
  the stipulated values to the Environmental
  Quality Standards (fit for purpose!)

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Just an example of how to set requirements for
analytical performance
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4. QUALITY CONTROL TOOLS

• SAMPLING
• Quality control in sampling
• Effectiveness of cleaning sampling vessels and
  sample containers
• Field blanks to provide routine checks on
  contamination
• Field controls to provide routine checks on
  sample stability
• Duplicate samples to provide routine checks on
  sample precision
• INTRA-LABORATORY ASSESSMENT
• Certified Reference Materials for
  intra-laboratory method validation
• Intra-laboratory quality control
• Evaluation of uncertainty
• Within-laboratory reproducibility using control
  charts
• Target control charts
• INTER-LABORATORY ASSESSMENT
• Reference Materials for inter-laboratory
  assessment
• Inter-laboratory quality control
• Ad-hoc collaborative studies
• Mandatory proficiency tests
• Field controls to provide routine checks on
  sample stability
• Duplicate samples to provide routine checks on
  sample precision

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This approach (IRMM)
Which problems can be highlighted?

• has been successfully applied for the Drinking
  Water Directive 98/83/EC
• Avoids redundancies in the Commission Decision
  and avoids rapid aging and need for frequent
  updating
• Puts the responsibility for implementation of
  ISO/IEC-17025 with the laboratories and
  assessment of compliance with Accreditation
  Bodies

• What about waste water, suspended matter,
  sediment, biota
• what about a parameter known as difficult to
  analyse and no existing standardised method. How
  to harmonise at EU level?
• Need of CRM for each parameter and matrix
• Need of appropriate PTS (for each parameter and
  matrix)
• Harmonisation of procedures of Accreditation
  Bodies
• Harmonisation for validation methods

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• Comments / Questions ?

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Thanks for your attention !
EAQC-WISE Project EC- DG Research - FP6 funded
project - Contract N022603 (STREP)
The views expressed are purely those of the
writer and may not in any circumstances be
regarded as stating an official position of the
European Commission