develop consensus standards for use by TNI's programs. This group has a support role in assisting other programs with activities such as guidance and standards interpretation.
fosters the generation of data of known and documented quality is through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories.
is to establish and maintain a national PT program to support TNI’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, and other activities.
Field Activities Program (NEFAP) Executive Committee is to establish and implement an accreditation program for field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMOs).
Audit Sample Program is to develop consensus standards for the manufacture and analysis of audit samples for source emission testing.
on a variety of topics of interest to the environmental measurement community. TNI also hosts two regularly scheduled meetings per year, typically in January and August. Both are a week long and involve open meetings of TNI committees as well as training courses and other special sessions.Standard Interpretation
Standard: 2009 TNI
Section: V2M2, Section 6.3
REQUEST:
Looking for a clarification.
Section 6.3 says: The Primary AB shall allow the laboratory to analyze the same PT sample using different technologies and/or multiple test methods for any FoPT. If a laboratory reports more than one test method per technology per FoPT, an unacceptable score for either test method shall result in an unacceptable score for both test methods for that FoPT.
Question:
If a lab uses 2 different extraction procedures for the same analytical method (e.g. Semi-Volatile GCMS in NPW matrix using Liquid/liquid Extraction sometimes and Solid Phase extraction at other times with many of the same analytes). Would it be acceptable to run a PT sample for each technology/extraction combination as long as they stick with the "fail one/fail both" concept that is in the referenced section? It get a little muddy since the TNI standard does not really recognize preparation methods and only looks at the technology but in reality it is like 2 different test methods.
Clarification would be welcome. Thank you
TNI FINAL RESPONSE:
(Laboratory Accreditation Body Expert Committee and NELAP AC, 10-4-14)
The interpretation of the standard is that if PTs are analyzed using multiple preparation methods while being analyzed by a single analytical technology per an FoPT, then if one PT fails, all of the groups under that technology fail, regardless of the preparation method. The PT assessment is made by analytical technology per FoPT.