Analytical Chemistry Practical

The significant progress achieved in modern instrumental analysis has led to a continuous lowering of detection limits and improved precision. This should in principle permit the reliable and extremely precise analysis of trace compounds mainly trace elements, at levels down to the lowest natural concentrations. However, the frequently observed very high discrepancies between the analyt­ ical results of different laboratories as well as the deviations from true values are, regrettably, still common in analytical practice. Basic methodological errors at the determination step can usually be minimized or even avoided by carefully per­ formed quality control measures - e. g. by interlaboratory comparisons and the proper use of certified reference materials.