IS TRACEABILITY AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF ANALYTICAL RESULTS - AN EXTENDED APPROACH TO TRACEABILITY IN CHEMICAL-ANALYSIS

The need to adapt the definition of traceability in the Metrological D ictionary of ISO to the growing use of this concept in Analytical Chem istry aroused the broader, more flexible proposal expounded in this pa per which aims to be closer to the bench level. The traceability conce pt is addressed in a hierarchical manner by ranking the different noti ons to which the qualifier ''traceable'' applies (results, standards, equipment and samples) in such a way that it is compatible with the IS O definition. Relationships among them and with classical analytical p roperties are also exposed.