TÜBİTAK UME, in carrying out its legal mandate to increase the quality of measurements in the country and ensure their international recognition, has completed production and began sales of a new certified reference material (CRM) named “Elements in Spring Water” (UME CRM 1201).
TÜBİTAK UME, which aims to engage more actively in scientific metrology research activities continues studies to produce new CRMs in its chemical metrology laboratories that are equipped to meet global standards. As part of these studies, TÜBİTAK UME has completed production and started sales of the matrix CRM, “Elements in Spring Water” (UME CRM 1201), that certifies absolute concentrations of 21 elements. The CRM is intended to meet a demand of public and private laboratories and is to be used for method validation in quality control work and chemical analyses. The preparation and certification of the CRM was carried out in accordance with ISO Guides 34 and 35. The composition of the CRM was determined to conform to the limits set for elements in drinking water with the “Regulation on Water Intended for Human Consumption” published in the Official Gazette No. 25730 and dated February 17, 2005, which was subsequently standardized as TS266.
The increase in the variety and quality of chemical measurements and the legal arrangements for which they constitute a foundation support efforts to protect public health and the environment and to raise the quality of life. Once of the requirements to ensure the quality of measurements in a country is to establish their traceability to the SI units. For chemical measurements, traceability is ensured through the use of CRMs produced by national measurement institutes. National measurement institutes generally give priority to national needs when determining which CRMs to produce. Countries that do not have the capability to produce CRMs must rely on suppliers abroad at a significant cost.