BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

QUALIm ASSURANCE FOR CHEMICAL ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES IN MARINE
MONITORING
Uwe Harms
Bundesforschungsanstalt fiir Fischerei
Institut fiir FischereiGkologie
Wfistland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
The Role of Analytical Chemistry in Research or Monitoring Pro-
grammes
Analytical Chemistry has developed a tendency to a scientific
discipline with a multidisciplinary character. Remarkable
instrumental evolutions have occurred during the last decades
with the consequence that far reaching information can be gained
in many fields such as material chemistry, environmental re-
search, clinical chemistry, toxicology, biotechnology and
microelectronics.
The objective of Analytical Chemistry is to obtain chemical
information about materials or systems concerning their specific
qualitative and quantitative composition and structure {Danzer,
1992). Analytical methods are the fundamental tools of the ana-
lyst. They are based on chemical reactions and electroochemical
processes as well as on interactions with all forms of energy,
particularly radiation. Most of the techniques of measurements
are based on physical principles. However, the connection to
chemistry is given through the material aspects of the sample.
Figure 1 shows a systematic outline of the hierarchy of princi-
pal components of analytical investigations.
Adaptation of an analytical method for the selected analytical
task is a prerequisite if the objectives of the investigations
shall be attained. In each case it is important that the key
elements of analytical investigations comply with each other.
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