About Wepal-Quasimeme

The organisation of Interlaboratory Studies by WEPAL-QUASIMEME, part of Wageningen Research is accredited by the Dutch Accreditation Council RvA since April 26, 2000 (registration number R002). The accreditation is based on the ISO17043 requirements. The accreditation covers the quality system of the organisation as well as the determinand groups mentioned on the website of the RvA. Detailed information about the determinands in the determinand groups see detailed scope.

WEPAL-QUASIMEME covers proficiency tests related to the terrestrial, freshwater and marine environment (soil, freshwater sediment, marine sediment, plants, seawater, freshwater, wastewater, biota, shellfish toxins, manure, compost and biomass. Several groups of Wageningen University & Research are involved in the organisation of WEPAL-QUASIMEME:

• Team Proficiency testing of Wageningen Environmental Research
• Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality groupof Wageningen University,
• TeamEnvironmental Risk Assessmentof Wageningen Environmental Research;
• Team Environmental Chmistry ofWageningen Marine Research.

WEPAL-QUASIMEME has a Scientific Advisory Board for the marine programmes, with experts in the field who support the organisation and represent the participants.

WEPAL-QUASIMEME provides even more than just proficiency testing schemes. Participants may use the results of the proficiency tests to:

• Validate internal laboratory Quality and Assurance (QA)
• Improve methodology
• Support accreditation
• Support QA of environmental monitoring data
• Provide data for national or international programmes.

WEPAL-QUASIMEME has an interactive scheme. Participants can request specific determinands and matrices for inclusion in the programme, and make suggestions for development exercises and workshop topics for e.g. emergent pollutants. To support this interactive scheme, WEPAL-QUASIMEME also provides:

• Development exercises for e.g. emergent pollutants or in case of problems with analytical methodology
• Workshops for discussion and improvement in methodology
• A Helpdesk, which is supported by experts in the field
• Newsletters and conferences