Internal quality control

ALS Europe Environmental Division has a comprehensive QA/QC program. Our QA/QC procedures are designed to provide reliable and defensible analytical results. All ALS analytical procedures are fully validated and most are accredited according to the international norm EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Quality control is a systematic process and encompasses, among others:

regular calibration of instruments
regular verification of calibration by independent standards
regular measurement of blank samples
regular measurement of laboratory control samples
regular measurement of laboratory duplicate samples
regular measurement of spiked matrix samples and matrix certified reference materials
regular measurement of surrogate spikes (for target organics)

The above mentioned procedure ensures that the method accuracy (both precision and trueness) meets the requirements. The measurement of quality control samples is described in ALS internal documents. The evaluation of quality control samples is based on statistical procedures, including the quality control charts.

A proposal of external quality control

Besides the internal data quality, ALS suggests also an external quality control procedure which monitors quality during sampling and/or sample transport. This includes, but is not limited to:

client duplicate samples
field / trip sample blank

These QC samples are fully client's responsibility and, also, are evaluated by client as these samples are process as regular samples by the laboratory. Client duplicate samples ensure that the sampling was performed correctly and also, monitors the sample homogeneity. Client duplicate is sampled into another but identical type of container as the regular sample. Field sample blank monitors potential contamination on the sampling site or during the transport and cleanness of used containers. An analyte free matrix is used as a blank.

Reporting

All quality control data can be reported together with regular samples. ALS Czech Republic offers comprehensive QC reports with clear, structured quality control data with any outliers highlighted. This feature represents a significant time saving of data quality review and provides further confidence in data quality and integrity.

Accreditation

All ALS laboratories in the Czech Republic are accredited by the Czech Accreditation Institute for a comprehensive range of analyses (testing laboratory no. 1163). All ALS laboratories in Sweden are accredited by SWEDAC. ALS laboratories are assessed against the international standard EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

Accreditation by CAI and SWEDAC is accepted in:
Australia	Finland	Israel	Norway	Switzerland
Austria	France	Italy	Poland	Taiwan
Belgium	Germany	Japan	Portugal	Turkey
Brazil	Greece	Republic of Korea	Romania	UK
Bulgaria	Hong Kong	Latvia	Singapore	USA
Canada	Hungary	Lithuania	Slovakia	Vietnam
PR of China	Iceland	Luxembourg	Slovenia
Czech Republic	India	Malta	South Africa
Denmark	Indonesia	Netherlands	Spain
Estonia	Ireland	New Zealand	Sweden

Validation of analytical methods

According to the international standard EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 "validation is the confirmation by examination and the provision of objective evidence that the particular requirements for a specific intended use are fulfilled". Hence, validation includes the determination of method characteristics (accuracy, precision, linearity, robustness, detection and quantification limits, selectivity, linearity, working range, expanded uncertainty) and is performed to demonstrate the method is fit for the intended use. Not all the above mentioned parameters are always investigated but fitness for purpose is guaranteed. The performance of the validated method also includes, as far as possible, comparison of results achieved with other methods and results of interlaboratory comparisons. The process of validation is always documented in a validation report.