Metrology in Chemistry
Traceability of chemical measurement results has become a standard part of metrology over the past decade. Increased international trade, global co-manufacture of goods, increased emphasis on standardisation and quality control, and greater environmental awareness are factors which have seen an upsurge in interest in this aspect of metrology, which achieves lower levels of detection and higher precision and accuracy, improved quality and comparability.
Chemical metrology is employed to establish the traceability of measurement results to international standards via:
- Reference materials that are supplied to assist scientific and commercial laboratories with quality control and traceability
- Primary methods, used to ensure the highest standards
- Verification of measurement capability done through international intercomparisons
In operation since 1994, the NMISA's chemical metrology groups deal with primary gas mixture preparation, calibration of gas analyzers, impurity analysis, surface and microanalysis, certification of inorganic reference materials, inorganic mass spectrometry and value assignment of organic materials.