Qualitative Analysis: A Guide

Review "... a timely, succinct guide to many of the key issues in qualitative analysis." ― Pesticide Science, Vol 55, No 7, p 755 Product Description This Guide is concerned with the practice of qualitative analysis and contains invaluable advice for laboratories undertaking such work. It is designed to assist laboratories in establishing and maintaining a working regime that will minimise the risk of error and maximise the quality of the analytical information they produce. It is aimed primarily at laboratory managers and those responsible for any part of the analysis process from designing qualitative tests or deciding which tests to apply in particular cases to those performing the requisite experimental work. Qualitative Analysis has been developed using the knowledge and experience of an advisory panel drawn from a representative cross-section of practising analytical scientists. It was produced as part of the VAM Programme, and will be a useful guide for laboratory staff, government agencies, researchers and professionals in industry and academia alike. From the Back Cover This guide is concerned with the practice of qualitative analysis and contains invaluable advice for laboratories undertaking such work. It is designed to assist laboratories in establishing and maintaining a working regime that will minimise the risk of error and maximise the quality of the analytical information they produce. It is aimed primarily at laboratory managers and those responsible for any part of the analysis process from designing qualitative tests or deciding which tests to apply in particular cases to those performing the requisite experimental work. Qualitative Analysis: A Guide to Best Practice has been developed using the knowledge and experience of an advisory panel drawn from a representative cross-section of practising analytical scientists. It was produced as part of the VAM Programme, and will be a useful guide for laboratory staff, government agencies, researchers and professionals in industry and academia alike. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Qualitative AnalysisA Guide to Best PracticeBy W.A. HardcastleThe Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright © 1998 LGC (Teddington)All rights reserved.ISBN: 978-0-85404-462-7Contents1 This Document, 1, 2 The VAM Principles, 1, 3 Scope, 2, 4 Health and Safety, 3, 5 Establishing the Requirements, 3, 6 The Sample, 7, 7 The Analytical Process, 12, 8 Quality Assurance, 16, 9 Interpretation of Results, 20, 10 Analysis Report, 20, 11 Field Testing, 21, 12 Further Information, 21, Appendix A: Requirements and Design Model, 22, Appendix B: Bibliography, 23, CHAPTER 1Qualitative Analysis: A Guide to Best Practice1 This DocumentThis document is about principles of good practice in qualitative analysis. These principles are themselves related to one or more of the six VAM principles. In order to highlight this point, relevant VAM principles are indicated within square brackets at the beginning of each numbered section e.g. [VAM principle #1]. To assist the reader in locating the "Best Practice" principles, they are presented in italic with each one being further indicated by a finger sign in the left margin. Each statement of a principle is followed by some explanatory text which elaborates on the theme and may provide examples of why it is important.The document as a whole is structured to follow the logical sequence of issues surrounding: health and safety; initial customer contact; samples; the analytical process; and quality assurance. A section on field testing is included to cover the important area of out of laboratory analyses.2 The VAM PrinciplesThe VAM Programme was set up with the aim of assisting analysts to obtain reliable analytical measurements. To facilitate this a set of six principles has been formulated and is widely publicised. The main focus of these principles, listed below, is on quantitative measurement but it is, of cours