Accred Qual Assur (2007) 12:115–116 DOI 10.1007/s00769-006-0237-2

EDITORIAL

Reference materials – insights and outlooks Guest editorial for the special BERM-10 issue of Accreditation and Quality Assurance Hendrik Emons

Published online: 17 January 2007 C Springer-Verlag 2007


Achieving reliable measurement results and being able to defend them in the academic, commercial, and regulatory environments is the main task for thousands of laboratories. It does not seem to be necessary to convince the readers of this journal about the crucial role of reference materials (RMs) in these efforts. But new challenges for RM development and application are appearing each day because of the very broad range and rapidly changing measurement demands. Moreover, the spreading of systems for mutual recognition of measurement competences based on internationally agreed upon third-party assessment schemes requires a permanent supply of appropriate reference materials for the proper calibration and quality assurance of measurements. Therefore, the conference series BERM (abbreviated from Biological and Environmental Reference Materials) is devoted to the exchange of the most recent experiences and ideas about the development, production, and application of reference materials. The latest event, BERM-10, was arranged by the Analytical Division of the NIST and Charleston-based organizers from NIST and NOAA in cooperation with IRMM. It attracted about 150 participants from 25 countries all over the world to sunny Charleston, South Carolina (USA), in April/May 2006. The scientific program consisted of 75 oral and 105 poster presentations. It was encouraging to note how the interest of reference materials has been expanded during recent years. This tendency was already observed during BERM-9 in 2003 and widens the topics of this conference series now far beyond its original title. For instance, reference materials for

H. Emons (
) Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium e-mail: [email protected]

clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine were discussed for the first time at BERM-9 and occupied a much larger part of the BERM-10 program. But this was now accompanied by a special session on pharmaceutical RMs, reflecting the recently intensified interactions between the two “reference worlds”. This increased interest to develop further a common understanding on RMs and to harmonize as far as possible the underlying concepts of quality assurance and control is very encouraging. Other sessions covered topics such as advances in analytical techniques and RM development, RMs for environmental monitoring, RMs for food safety and quality, applications of reference materials, challenges and innovations in RM production, purity and stability determinations of RMs. Moreover, a specific session was devoted to “reference materials and international harmonization”. The latter topic has also been widely debated in this journal by various authors acting as reference material producers, RM users, or accreditors. The corresponding contributions at BERM-10 demonstrated the new level of maturity regarding international guidance and executed conformity assessment of RM production and certification. Another observation during BERM-10 concerned the increased and more structured communication and cooperation among major reference material producers. This is regarded as a crucial strategy to cope better with the exploding demand for new reference materials as well as with the problem to replace exhausted RMs at a higher frequency. Several speakers also highlighted the need to educate RM users more systematically with the purpose to exploit better the full potential of these products. Again, this journal seems to be a prime communication tool to deliver some of the lessons to be learned. This special issue is composed of publications that have been derived from some of the BERM-10 presentations. It reflects indeed the broad range of topics that were presented Springer

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and discussed at this meeting: from the preparation and certification of reference materials for very basic calibration operations, demonstrated for pH or ethanol measurements, up to RMs for microbiological analysis; from metrological traceability considerations to the accreditation of RM producers. The selection of papers also adequately mirrors where most of the demands on and challenges of RM development are allocated, namely in the provision of natural matrix materials certified for measurands of legal and/or public relevance. Examples are presented for environmental monitoring, food control, and human health analysis. We would

Springer

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like to thank all of the contributing authors for their efforts to document for the readers of ACQUAL some of the key messages that have been delivered at BERM-10. Unfortunately, it is impossible to transmit an impression of the hospitality and the friendly atmosphere that were provided by the local organizers in a ’Southern style’. They have succeeded in arranging together with the conference chair, Steve Wise and his team, a stimulating environment for this conference and well deserved the appreciation of the participants. A followup meeting will be arranged by our Japanese colleagues in Tsukuba (Japan) in October/November 2007.