CALA Accreditation

Analytical Services Unit Queen's University

The accrediting organization is the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA), formerly, Canadian Association for Environmental and Analytical Laboratories (CAEAL). For details of the CALA testing program: http://www.cala.ca/index.html

Accreditation

Our laboratory is accredited by CALA to the standards of ISO/IEC 17025. Its accreditation status applies specifically to the following tests:

• Ammonia in Water
• Biphenyl and Biphenyl Ether in Water
• Ion Chromatography
• Mercury in Water and Soil
• Metals in Soil
• Metals in Water
• Metals in Plants and Tissues
• Oil and Grease in Water
• Phenols in Water
• Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) in Oil
• Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) in Soil
• PCB congener Analysis
• Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil and Sediments
• TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure)
• Total Phosphorus in Water

Performance Evaluation Program

Test samples are sent by CALA twice per year. The laboratory has participated in accredited external performance evaluation programs since 1994.

The principals and methodology applied to CALA accredited methods are applied to all analysis performed in our laboratories. Rigorous quality control procedures are employed. The use of certified laboratory control standards (LCS), analysis of preparation duplicates and blanks, repeat recalibration and use of separate source calibration check standards ensures that the data we provide is of the highest quality and is completely reproducible.

The ASU's CALA accreditation document is shown below:

CALA is an organisation dedicated to achieving the highest possible levels of quality data within Canadian environmental laboratories. Laboratories which are CALA accredited go through regular confirmatory testing. The methods relevant to individual labs, their locations, and their performance evaluations are listed in the CALA homepage.

The ASU has been an accredited laboratory since 1995.