Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Incheon, Korea.
Saf Health Work. 2011 Sep;2(3):229-35. doi: 10.5491/SHAW.2011.2.3.229. Epub 2011 Sep 30.
In this study, we summarized the External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure to toxic chemicals which started in 1995 and continued until a 31(st) round robin in the spring of 2010. The program was performed twice per year until 2009, and this was changed to once a year since 2010. The objective of the program is to ensure the reliability of the data related to biological monitoring from analytical laboratories.
One hundred and eighteen laboratories participated in the 31(st) round robin. The program offers 5 items for inorganic analysis: lead in blood, cadmium in blood, manganese in blood, cadmium in urine, and mercury in urine. It also offers 10 items for organic analysis, including hippuric acid, methylhippuric acid, mandelic acid, phenylglyoxylic acid, N-methylformamide, N-methylacetamide, trichloroacetic acid, total trichloro-compounds, trans,trans-muconic acid, and 2,5-hexanedione in urine. Target values were determined by statistical analysis using consensus values. All the data, such as chromatograms and calibration curves, were reviewed by the committee.
The proficiency rate was below 70% prior to the first round robin and improved to over 90% for common items, such as PbB and HA, while those for other items still remained in the range of 60-90% and need to be improved up to 90%.
The EQAS has taken a primary role in improving the reliability of analytical data. A total quality assurance scheme is suggested, including the validation of technical documentation for the whole analytical procedure.
本研究总结了始于 1995 年、持续至 2010 年春季第 31 次轮次的职业接触有毒化学物质生物监测外部质量评估计划（EQAS）。该计划在 2009 年之前每年进行两次，之后改为每年一次。该计划的目的是确保分析实验室生物监测相关数据的可靠性。
第 31 次轮次有 118 家实验室参加。该计划提供 5 项无机分析项目：血铅、血镉、血锰、尿镉和尿汞。还提供 10 项有机分析项目，包括尿中马尿酸、甲基马尿酸、扁桃酸、苯丙酮酸、N-甲基甲酰胺、N-甲基乙酰胺、三氯乙酸、总三氯化合物、反式，反式-粘康酸和 2,5-己二酮。目标值通过使用共识值进行统计分析确定。委员会审查了所有数据，如色谱图和校准曲线。
第一次轮次之前，熟练率低于 70%，之后常见项目（如 PbB 和 HA）的熟练率提高到 90%以上，而其他项目仍在 60-90%之间，需要提高到 90%。
EQAS 在提高分析数据的可靠性方面发挥了主要作用。建议采用全面质量保证方案，包括对整个分析过程技术文件的验证。
