Title: Uncertainty in environmental analysis: theory and laboratory studies

Authors: Marcelo Enrique Conti, Jorge Oscar Muse, Mauro Mecozzi

Addresses: Dipartimento di Controllo e Gestione delle Merci e del loro Impatto sull'Ambiente, Universita ''La Sapienza'', Via del Castro Laurenziano, 9, 00161 Rome, Italy. ' Departamento de Quimica Analitica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junin 956, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ' Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica Applicata al Mare, Via di Casalotti 300, 00166 Rome, Italy

Abstract: In this paper, theoretical and practical aspects of uncertainty in environmental laboratory analysis are presented and discussed. A more detailed theory of uncertainty is described, with special emphasis on the factors which contribute to the understanding of this in order to obtain accurate environmental laboratory data analysis. A full discussion is reported relating to approaches used to evaluate uncertainty, particularly the so called ||bottom-up|| and ||top-down|| approaches. Relevant aspects of uncertainty related to instrumental analysis and calibration are discussed. Problems arising from linear and non linear calibration and outlier identification and their relationships with uncertainties were also fully examined.

Keywords: calibration; environmental monitoring; laboratory analysis; uncertainty; measurement precision; measurement reliability; environmental measurements; risk assessment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAM.2005.007174

International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 2005 Vol.5 No.2/3/4, pp.311 - 335

Published online: 02 Jun 2005 *

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