Analytical Services Unit at Queen's University
The accrediting organization is the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA).
For details of the CALA testing program: https://cala.ca/
Analytical Method Accreditation
Our laboratory is accredited by CALA to the standards of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for the following methods:
- CCME Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil and Water
- Mercury in Liquids, Soil and Biological Tissues
- Metals in Soil and Water
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil and Water
- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in Soil and Water
Performance Evaluation Program
As part of ASU's accreditation requirements the lab routinely participates in proficiency testing studies from various accredited providers including CALA.
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 organization 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.