The role of accreditation in ensuring sampling quality

Accreditation has proved effective in ensuring the quality of analytical measurements but is now increasingly being applied to primary sampling, as the first part of the measurement process. Several international standards relevant to accreditation of sampling are available, either for organisations undertaking the sampling (ISO/IEC 17025 or 17020), or for the certification of the sampler (i.e., the person who takes the samples) (ISO/IEC 17024). Achieving and demonstrating the fitness-for-purpose of chemical measurements requires a holistic approach to ensuring the quality of the sampling, sample preparation and analytical measurement. Accreditation provides the framework within which both samplers and analytical chemists can demonstrate appropriate quality.