Guides

Guides

Current Eurachem Guides

Evaluation of measurement uncertainty from in-house precision and recovery data

Contents

Uncertainty models an a laboratory backgroundFollowing the publication of ISO/IEC 17025 in 2017, the community has placed greater emphasis on the reliable evaluation of measurement uncertainty. Nowadays, laboratories are expected to be able to use measurement uncertainty in managing and reporting the risk of false decisions regarding the conformity of tested items.

Given the guidance available on the evaluation of measurement uncertainty produced by Eurachem, Eurolab, and Nordtest, it was considered necessary to develop additional material to help laboratories accurately determine measurement uncertainties.

This Eurachem/CITAC guide is intended to be read in conjunction with the Eurachem guide "Quantifying uncertainty in Analytical Measurement" (QUAM). It discusses the evaluation of measurement uncertainty from in-house validation data, adding detail to the general guidance in QUAM. Key topics include modelling how measurement uncertainty varies with concentrations, and how to handle divergent recovery values from different reference materials. Laboratories now have access to simple algorithms for assessing measurement uncertainty, but for situations where these are insufficient to meet performance requirements, more advanced solutions are provided.

The guide is organised as a tutorial and features numerous practical examples to support its application

 

Availability

This guidance is available in the following languages:

Citation

This publication should be cited* as:
R Bettencourt da Silva (ed.) Eurachem/CITAC Guide: Evaluation of measurement uncertainty from in-house precision and recovery data. First Edition, Eurachem (2026). ISBN 978-972-9348-30-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56526/2026.0005. Available from http://www.eurachem.org

*Subject to journal requirements

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

 

Guide to Quality in Analytical Chemistry - 4th edition (2026)

Content

QAC 2016 cover 180hThe aim of this guide is to provide laboratories with guidance on best practice for the analytical operations they carry out. The guidance covers both qualitative and quantitative analysis carried out on a routine or non-routine basis.

This 4th edition is a revision of the CITAC/Eurachem Guide published in 2016. This revision reflects changes that were introduced with the publication of the 2017 version of ISO/IEC 17025.

The Guide focuses on the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, however the content should also be of use to organisations seeking accreditation or certification against the requirements of standards such as ISO 15189 or ISO 9001, or compliance with the Principles of Good Laboratory Practice. The Guide will also provide useful information both for laboratories that wish to establish a quality management system but are not seeking formal recognition, and for those involved in education and training.

Availability

You may download the guide from this website at no cost.

+ Dates of publication on this site

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Publication date

This third edition was approved for publication in January 2026 and first published on this website on 6th February 2026.

Citation

This publication should be cited* as: “V. Barwick and K. C. Tsimillis (Eds), Eurachem/CITAC: Guide to Quality in Analytical Chemistry: An Aid to Accreditation (4th ed. 2026). ISBN 978-0-948926-40-2. Available from www.eurachem.org

*Subject to journal requirements

Previous editions

The third edition of this Guide, and earlier editions, can be found in the publication archive on this website. 

 

 

Validation of Measurement Procedures that Include Sampling (1st Ed)

A supplement to:
“The Fitness for Purpose of Analytical Methods”
“Measurement Uncertainty arising from Sampling”

Vampis converge txt outGuidance is given on how to validate a measuring procedure that includes the primary sampling (VaMPIS). It is a supplement to existing Eurachem guidance on “The Fitness for Purpose of Analytical Methods” and “Measurement Uncertainty arising from Sampling”. The overall aim is to extend the concept of ‘validation of a measurement procedure’ beyond the validation of the analytical method (or procedure) alone, in order to include the primary sampling (and physical sample preparation) within the validation process.

Ideally, VaMPIS can be applied to validate the whole measurement procedure simultaneously. Alternatively, VaMPIS can be applied sequentially by using an analytical procedure that has already been validated for this purpose in isolation, but then extending it to include the sampling step.

The key characteristic that enables validation of both the sampling and the analytical procedures is the measurement uncertainty, when supported by the performance characteristics that apply to the analytical procedure, which are already described in the Fitness for Purpose guide.

Two worked examples are provided to demonstrate how VaMPIS can be applied to both ex situ analysis in a laboratory of an extracted sample, and also to in situ analysis made ‘in the field’, without extracting a physical sample. Guidance is also given on the management and QC issues that are needed in order to integrate the sampling and the analytical steps, which have previously usually not had a unified and coordinated approach to data quality.

Availability

This supplementary guidance is available in the following languages:

Citation

This publication should be cited* as:
M. H. Ramsey, P. D. Rostron, F. C. Raposo (eds.) Eurachem/EUROLAB/CITAC/Nordtest/AMC Guide: "Validation of Measurement Procedures that Include Sampling", Eurachem (2024).  Available from http://www.eurachem.org"

*Subject to journal requirements

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

The Fitness for Intended Use of Analytical Equipment and Systems (1st Ed)

The Fitness for Intended Use of Analytical Equipment and Systems - A Laboratory Guide to the Life Cycle of Analytical Equipment and Systems, their Qualification and Related Topics

Vampis converge txt outA wide variety of analytical equipment is used in analytical laboratories, ranging from simple apparatus to complex computer-based systems, to collect data that helps to obtain a reportable result. Many of these pieces of equipment combine a measurement function with software control. There are many ways to demonstrate that an equipment is qualified and under control, including qualification, calibration, validation and maintenance. To ensure ‘fitness for purpose’, an integrated approach based on risk assessment is recommended.

For the purposes of this guide, the term ‘equipment’ includes all apparatus, devices, instruments or instrument systems used in chemical, physical or biological analyses. The instruments form the basis for analytical work, from the development of the method to its validation and routine use. Without this stable foundation, the reliability of the entire process is questionable.

This document is a laboratory guide to the life cycle of analytical equipment and systems and their qualification for laboratories working to various standards and regulations. It is designed to help the laboratory management and staff and other users of analytical equipment to find a common nomenclature to meet the requirements efficiently, to do their work efficiently and to better understand the characteristics and limitations of the equipment.

The guide covers the entire lifespan of the equipment. It begins with the design, development and production of new equipment by the manufacturer. At the user's end, it covers all processes from the considerations involved in purchasing new equipment to commissioning, operation, maintenance, requalification and decommissioning. The main focus of attention is on the fitness for the intended use of the analytical equipment.

Availability

This guidance is available in the following languages:

Citation

This publication should be cited* as:
Ernst P. Halder (ed.) Eurachem Guide: The Fitness for Intended Use of Analytical Equipment and Systems – A Laboratory Guide to the Life Cycle of Analytical Equipment and Systems, their Qualification and Related Topics (1st ed. 2025). ISBN 978-0-948926-41-9. Available from http://www.eurachem.org

*Subject to journal requirements

Translations

Translation into other languages is permitted for members of Eurachem. Other offers of translation should be directed to the Eurachem Secretariat for permission. The Eurachem policy on maintenance and development of Eurachem guidance, available on the Policies page, gives further information on translation.

Feedback

The working group is very interested in feedback from readers, particularly from those who are directly involved in using equipment. Comments can be provided via the AE&SQ Contact Form on this website.