The international Circuits CALITAX – LABAQUA (known also as Interlaboratory Tests, Proficiency Testing Schemes, round robins, ringtests…) provides to the laboratories or organisations (chemical, microbiological, environmental testing…) an objective mean to assessing and demonstrating the reliability of tests results.

Many of the interlaboratory comparisons are open to all laboratories that wish to participate but some are restricted. Proficiency test are normally carried out only on request of another Commission department or agency. Some comparisons are run to certify reference materials and validation studies are organised regularly to validate analysis methods.

List of the proficiency testing from AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Manual of analytical methods for characterization physical, chemical, biological and microbiological water produced by Water Research Institute (IRSA) from Italy. (Only Italian language)

The National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI) is a computer searchable database of environmental measurement methods. It is designed to serve as an index to measurement methods that may be available from all sources (government agencies, private sector, academia). It is a project of the Methods and Data Comparability Board.

Standard Methods has included hundreds of analytical techniques for the determination of water quality.

Test methods are approved procedures for measuring the presence and concentration of physical and chemical pollutants; evaluating properties, such as toxic properties, of chemical substances; or measuring the effects of substances under various conditions.

Links to various methods for chemical analysis of foods developed in the Food and Nutrition Research Laboratories of the Food Directorate, and in the Regional Laboratories, of Health Protection Branch (HPB), Health Canada. The methods are classified into Official Methods, HPB Methods, and Laboratory Procedures. HPB Methods are fully validated by inter-laboratory studies and documented analytical methods.

IMEP provides support to EU policies and the chemical measurement system of the enlarged EU assisting in the development of the national measurement systems. The common goal is to prove the reliability of measurement results. All laboratories can participate in the regular IMEPs. The IMEP-100 series are interlaboratory comparisons organised on behalf of the Community Reference Laboratory for Heavy Metals in Feed and Food and are open for nominated national reference laboratories ony.

Wepal is a world-leading organiser of proficiency testing (PT) programs in the fields plants, soil, sediments and organic waste. We are organising this for over 50 years and currently have over 500 participants in these PT schemes in countries all over the world.