Quality control

The Focal Centres in each country contribute data from their national monitoring programmes. In order to ensure that results are consistent and comparable across the entire ICP Waters programme, inter-laboratory quality controls are necessary to identify and correct biases caused by e.g. differing lab methods and protocols. These intercomparisons take place annually and the results are presented in the ICP Waters annual reports. Further details are available in the ICP Waters manual.

Chemical intercomparison

For the water chemistry data, the number of laboratories participating in the annual intercomparison has increased from 9 in 1987 to 33 laboratories across 16 countries in 2019. Recent chemical intercomparison reports are shown in the table below. For more information, please contact Tina Bryntesen at the Programme Centre.

Report number Year Title Link
151 2022 Intercomparison 2236: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO3, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Tot-P, Tot-N, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn.
147 2021 Intercomparison 2135: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Tot-P, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and ZnInternational
143 2020 Intercomparison 2034: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Tot-P, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn
141 2019 Intercomparison 1933: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Tot-P, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn
137 2018 Intercomparison 1832: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca,Mg, Na, K, TOC, Tot-P, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn
134 2017 Intercomparison 1731: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn
129 2016 Intercomparison 1630: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn
123 2015 Intercomparison 1529: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn Link
120 2014 Intercomparison 1428: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Zn Link
116 2013 Intercomparison 1327: pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, NO3-N, Cl, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TOC, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn Link

Biological intercalibration

Around 12 laboratories regularly participate in the biological intercalibration, which evaluates the quality of the taxonomic work conducted on the biological material delivered to the Programme Centre. Recent biological intercomparison reports are shown in the table below. For more information, please contact Gaute Velle at the Programme Sub-centre.

Report number Year Title Link
152 2023 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2022
148 2021 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2021
144 2020 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2020
140 2019 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2019
138 2018 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2018
133 2017 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2017
130 2016 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 2016
124 2015 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1915
121 2014 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1814 Link
118 2014 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1713 Link
113 2012 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1612 Link
109 2011 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1511 Link
103 2010 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1410 Link
99 2009 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1309 Link
95 2008 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1208 Link
91 2008 Biological intercalibration: Invertebrates 1107 Link
85 2006 Biological intercalibration 1006: Invertebrate fauna Link
81 2005 Intercalibration 0307: Invertebrate fauna Link
77 2004 Intercalibration: Invertebrate fauna 09/04 Link