Quality Assurance and Laboratory Accreditation

Code:

Q4074

Acronym:

Q4074

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Advanced Methods and Accreditation in Chemical Analysis

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:MA3Q	7	Official study plan since 2025/2026	1	-	3	21	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The main objective of this unit is to provide to the students the necessary knowledge in order to comply with the accreditation requirements and to manage an accreditation process in chemical testing laboratories according to NP EN ISO/IEC 17025

Learning outcomes and competences

It is intended that at the end of this course, students show skills that enable them to:

1 Understand the fundamental concepts of quality assurance and quality control of a chemical laboratory;
2 Organize and design a quality assurance program in conformity with a reference to international standard NP EN ISO/IEC 17025;
3 Organize the documentation for accreditation of chemical Laboratories.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

No previous specific background is need, besides the basic knowledge in analytical chemistry and instrumental methods of analysis

Program

1 Components of analytical quality assurance:
a) Comprehensive management system;
b) Personnel training;
c) Standard operating procedures;
d) Laboratory facilities and proper equipment;
e) Equipment maintenance and calibration;
f) Sampling plan;
g) Sample receipt, storage and disposal;
h) Recording and reporting of results.
2 Internal analytical quality assurance:
a) Selection of analytical method;
b) Validity checking;
c) Precision and accuracy checks;
d) Use of control charts;
e) Remedial action.
3 External analytical quality assurance:
a) Audits;
b) Interlaboratory tests;
c) Laboratory performance: proficiency testing.
4 Accreditation to NP EN ISO/IEC 17025:
a) Validation of competences;
b) Management requirements;
c) Technical requirement

Mandatory literature

ISO; NP EN ISO/IEC 17025 (2018). Requisitos gerais de competência para laboratórios de ensaio e calibração, 2018

Complementary Bibliography

Hibbert, D. B. ; Quality Assurance in the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-195-16212-7
Ratliff, T. A. ; The Laboratory Quality Assurance System, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2003. ISBN: 978-0-471-26918-2
Montgomery, D. C. ; Introduction to Statistical Quality Control, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009. ISBN: 978-0-470-16992-6

Teaching methods and learning activities

The lectures are detailed exposition of the content of the program, illustrated by study cases. The audio-visual aids are used to support the presentations. Guest lectures are given by laboratory managers on how to run an analytical laboratory. It is foreseen a set of planned visits to accredited laboratories.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	25,00
Participação presencial	75,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	35,00
Frequência das aulas	21,00
Trabalho escrito	25,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

In this course it is mandatory to comply with the attendance in classes.

The students must attend a minimum of 75% of the total number of classes and to obtain a positive mark in written works done during the semester.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final exam – individual evaluation - 40%: lowest mark 9,5/20 (round off to decimals)

Written Works performed in the context of classes: 25%: oral presentations, problems resolutions, homeworks. Lowest mark 9.5/20 (round off to decimals).

Presentation of accreditation project: 35%: lowest mark 8.0/20 (round off to decimals)

Final evaluation: 40% Exam + 25% written works + 35% accreditation project

Examinations or Special Assignments

Are not provided

Internship work/project

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The special assessment shall be a written examination

Classification improvement

Distributed evaluation can not be improved.

The final mark can be improved only by final exam.