Thessaloniki 5/09//2011
Our laboratory has participated in an international interlaboratory analytical study (SCHEMA 22 01), for the determination of heavy metals in groundwater samples and has been ranked at the top 5 of the 47 laboratories that participated from Europe, Asia and the USA, as far as reliability, validity and accuracy of analytical results.
[important]This international distinction was achieved thanks to the Laboratory stuff and their excellent scientific training, as well as to its modern analytical laboratory equipment. The Research Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, acknowledging this distinction, honored the Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory with a special award for excellence.[/important]
For many years the Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry located in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and especially the research team ENVILAB, which I proudly supervise, has continuously studied and developed modern methods of pollution analysis for a wide range of environmental samples, among which drinking water samples. Our laboratory is applying modern methods for sampling and sample pretreatment, based on European and International Standards, with the sole aim to provide reliable analytical results. In order to realize its goals the laboratory has been equipped with up-to-date, modern Scientific Analytical Instruments of the highest accuracy and sensitivity.
According to the International Guidelines for the optimization of analytical practice, our laboratory participates frequently in interlaboratory analytical studies specialized on specific methods or techniques. The independent and frequent evaluation of the laboratory analytical performance is an essential tool which ensures the credibility and reliability of the results.
This recent interlaboratory study, aimed at the determination of heavy metals in drinking water samples (SCHEMA 22 01). Various laboratories (47) from around the world (Europe, Asia, US and Africa) participated in the study for the determination of cadmium (Cd, μg/L), lead (Pb, μg/L), chromium (Cr, μg/L), Nickel (Ni, μg/L), Copper (Cu, μg/L), antimony (Sb, μg/L), aluminumο (Al, μg/L), manganese (Mn, μg/L), iron (Fe, μg/L) and arsenic (As, μg/L). The quality of results were checked for their z score which relate the average value of the measurements for each parameter to the creditable and the desirable value of the standard deviation. Our laboratory for the majority of the measurements has yielded values of 0<z
The Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, is applying continuous tests and improvements on the analytical methods used for the determination of inorganic and organic pollutants. Moreover the Laboratory is using certified reference materials recognized by the European Union (IRMM – BCR), the International Atomic Energy Association (ΙΑΕΑ), the NIST Institute etc. in order to ensure the finest , most reliable and accurate results for the determination of pollutants in environmental samples.
Konstantinos Fytianos
Chemistry Professor
Department of Environment Pollurtion Control