About Us
The IAEA established the Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) in the early 1960’s to meet the needs of the analytical laboratories in its Member States (MS) that required reference materials (RMs) for quality control of their measurements. The initial efforts of AQCS focused on the preparation of environmental RMs containing anthropogenic radionuclides for use by those laboratories employing nuclear analytical techniques. These RMs were characterised for their radionuclide content through intercomparison runs (IC) involving a core group of some 10 to 20 specialist laboratories. The success of these early exercises led AQCS to extend its activities to encompass both terrestrial and marine RMs containing primordial radionuclides and trace elements.
Today, AQCS produces 90 reference materials and maintains a customer base of about 3000 members. AQCS activities and the production of reference materials are shared between four groups, namely:
- Chemistry
Unit at Agency's Laboratories Seibersdorf, Austria
- Isotope
Hydrology Unit at IAEA HQ, Vienna, Austria
- IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory,
Monaco
- Division of
Human Health at IAEA HQ, Vienna, Austria
Major commitments involving AQCS include the following activities: organization of intercomparison studies and proficiency tests, production and distribution of reference materials (RMs), the provision of training for measurement of radionuclides, trace elements, organometallic compounds, stable isotopes and organic micro-constituents in various samples drawn from the terrestrial and marine environments, and assisting the Department of Technical Co-operation with QA/QC procedures in their projects by the provision of RMs. In 1997 the activities of AQCS were reviewed by five external consultants under the Agency’s Programme Performance Assessment System. The consultants were asked to evaluate the past and present activities of AQCS with respect to:
- its performance in achieving its objectives;
- the relevance of the objectives in responding to the needs of the MS; and,
- its level of success in fulfilling the Agency’s policy to provide reference
materials and
- proficiency tests that meet current international
standards.
The consultants’ report strongly endorsed the AQCS activities and contained a number of recommendations to improve AQCS. Two key recommendations were:
- to upgrade current RMs with respect to traceability,
assigned uncertainties and values
for additional important analytes; and
- to replace some intercomparison exercises with proficiency tests to evaluate
the
performance of MS laboratories.
AQCS is actively trying to comply with developing trends in the field of reference material production and certification, a field that has become a keystone in ensuring the reliability and intercomparability of analytical results on a national and international level.
In 1998 a questionnaire was distributed together with the AQCS catalogue requesting customers to provide information on RM matrix and analyte needs in order to solicit suggestions for new RMs and obtain supplementary information on the needs of the MS laboratories. It was distributed to over 6500 individuals from laboratories, national institutes and universities. Over 1300 questionnaires were returned with 400 providing information on radionuclide needs, 500 on trace/toxic element needs, 200 on needs for stable isotope or organic constituents. This information has been entered into a database to be used in planning activities and prioritising the production of future RMs.
Beginning in 1999, the AQCS group at Seibersdorf initiated several actions in order to comply with ISO recommendations for producers and suppliers of reference materials. The IAEA RM reference sheets were revised and re-issued for all terrestrial and marine RMs in accordance with ISO Guide 31.
Last updated 08 March 2005
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