MIGASZEWSKI Z.M. & GAŁUSZKA A. 1997 - The use of pine for
bioindieation studies (in Polish with English summary). Prz. Geol., 45: 403-407.
MIGASZEWSKI Z.M. & GAŁUSZKA A. 1998 - An applieation of plants in geologie prospeeting and reclaiming work (in Polish with En-glish summary). Prz. Geol., 46: 594-599.
MIGASZEWSKI Z.M., LAMOTHE P.J. & CROCK lG. 1998 - Geo-ehemieal and biogeoGeo-ehemieal studies in national parks (in Polish with English summary). Prz. Geol., 46: 240-244.
MIGASZEWSKI Z.M. & PASŁAWSKI P. 1996 - Traee element and
sulfur stabIe isotope ratios in soils and vegetation of the Holy Cross Mo-untains. Geol. Quart., 40: 575-594.
MIGASZEWSKI Z.M., PASŁAWSKI P.,KUCHARZYK J. & GAŁU
SZKA A. 1998 - Geoehemistry in environmental studies. Prz. Geol., 46: 926-932.
Przegląd Geologiczny, vot. 46, nr 9/2, 1998
POLAŃSKI A. & SMULIKOWSKI K. 1969 - Geoehemistry (in Po-lish). Wyd. Geol., Warszawa: 1-663.
RICHARDSON D.H.S. 1991- Pollution Monitoring with Liehens. Ri-ehmond Publishing Co. Ltd.: 1-76.
STEWART K.c. & SEVERSON R.c. 1994 - Guidebook on the Geolo-gy, History , and Surfaee-W ater Contamination and Remediation in the Area from Denver to Idaho Springs, Colorado. US Geol. Sury. Cireular, 1097: 1-55.
USDA Forest Serviee General Teehnieal Report, RM-224, 1993 - Li -ehens as Bioindieators of Air Quality: 1-131.
VIKTOROV S.V. 1961 - A briefhistory review and the present status on the geobotanieal method in geology. Intern. Geol. Rev., 3: 408-411. WILLIAMS R.D. & SCHUMAN G.E. 1987 - Reclaiming mine soils and overburden in the western United States. Analytie parameters and proeedures. Soil Conservation Soeiety of Ameriea: 1-336.
Accreditation
of laboratories: can
the
laboratory quality
system
meet
the requirements
and challenges of the
future laboratory business
Harry
Sandstrom*
The operational environment of testing laboratories has changed a great deal during the past five to ten years, and the changing proces s is expected to continue. Laboratories are forced to operate more and more in open competition and in the normaI business environment of the private sector. These changes extend many expectations on the manage-ment ofthe future laboratory. Originally scientifically orien-ted laboratories must adopt business management and leadership components in their operation. One of these com-ponents is the third party audited and certified quality system (QA-system). ISO 9000 has been widely used as a quality standard by the industria! and process laboratories as a part of the host organization. On the other hand, the EN 45001 standard series has been tailored especially for testing labo-ratories featured by their specific requirements. There is a distinct difference between these standards, the former aims at certification and the latter at accreditation. However, there is an evident need to bring these standards closer to each other in order to avoid additional costs due to multiple audits and certifications. The new ISO Guide 25 is an attempt to get an intemationally accepted standard for laboratory QA-system fulfilling both the requirements of the ISO 9000 and
*Geologieal Survey ofFinland, Chemie al Laboratory, PO. BOX 96, FIN-02151 Espoo, Finland
the EN 45001. The new ISO Guide 25 includes sampling at least to some extent as a part of the laboratory processes. This aspect is we1come, considering an essential role of sampling in the entire chain: sampling - sample pre-treat-ment - analysis.
However, insufficiencies still remain in the standard. It
is still very technically oriented. Not neglecting the essen-tiality of for example calibration, there is an evident need for a holistic view of the entire laboratory management and operation process. One of the critical issues will be the management of the laboratory - client interface, where most of the method development ideas and needs are bom. To guarantee, that the laboratory is not only doing the things right, but also doing right things, well organised communi-cation between laboratory and client is essential. The deve-lopment of the laboratory must be seen as a continuous process of improvement, where all staff members contri-bute. The systematic self audit exercises are good tools in helping to focuse on the most urgent development projects. By adding the systematic development of the personnel and benchmarking to the leading intemationallaboratories, the laboratory management approaches the Total Quality Management concept (TQM). Fulfilling the requirements of the ISO Guide 25 or EN 45001 is a must, but unfortunately not enough.
Environmental and geochemical applications of
inductively
coupled
plasma spectrometry
Douglas L.
Miles*,
J
ennifer M. Cook*
Over the last 25 years, inductively coupled plasma (lep)
spectrometry, initially with optical (Thompson & Walsh, 1989) and subsequently with mass spectrometric (Jarvis et al., 1992) detection, has become a major analytical tool in
*British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
the environmental and earth sciences. It is capable of gene-rating data on a scale and of a quality only dreamed of a few decades ago. It has provided information, especially about trace constituents, that has greatly enhanced our under-standing of fundamental geological processes. This has aided our search for new minera! resources and is increasin-gly helping us to assess the impact ofman's activities on the
Przegląd Geologiczny, vot. 46, nr 9/2, 1998
environment. ICP speetrometry is widely used for environ-men tal proteetion in studies of urban and industrial pollution of soil and water, and in investigations eoneemed with the disposal of the ever gro win g quantities of stable and radio-aetive waste we generate.
Both ICP-AES and ICP-MS are ideally suited to the direet analysis of solutions and the eapabilities and limita-tions of the two teehniques, inc1uding elemental range, deteetion limits and matrix interferenees, will be diseussed. For the analysis of solid geologieal and environmental ma-terial, dissolution of sampIes is usually required. Problems assoeiated with analyte reeovery, eontamination, interferen-ees and total solute eontent during this stage of the analytieal proeess will be highlighted.
The direet analysis of solid materials by laser ablation ICP-MS is a particularly powerful to ol in geoehemieal and environmental investigations. It ean provide information about elemental and isotopie assoeiations in individual solid phases at high spatial resolution. Examples of the use of
LA-ICP-MS in studies of pollution from eoal fired power stations will be presented.
Reeent advanees in instrumentation have expanded the potential applieations of ICP speetrometry eonsiderably by eoupling an ICP ion souree to single or double foeu-sing magnetie seetor mass speetrometers. Depending on the partieular eonfiguration, these ean provide either very high mass resolution, enabling signals from interfe-ring polyatomie ions to be resolved from those of analyte isotopes oeeurring at very similar rn/z ratios, or true simul-taneous measurement of isotope ratios using multiple eol-leetors. Examples of applieations of MC-ICP-MS will be diseussed.
References
JARVIS K.E., GRA Y A.L. & HOUK R.S. 1992 - Handbook ofInducti-vely Coupled Pl as ma Mass Spectrometry. Blackie, Glasgow.
THOMPSON M. & W ALSH J.N. 1989 - Handbook of Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry. Blackie, Glasgow.
Effeets of ehanging to unleaded petroI on traffie related emissions.
Traee metal and lead isotopie evidenee for inereased pollution
B.J.H. van Os*, G.Th. Klaver*, N. Walraven**, F.J.M. Vermeulen*
Introduction
In the late eighties, import of ears using high eoneentra-tions of alkyl-lead eontaining fuel was abandoned in the Netherlands. In addition the amount of alkyl-lead in petrol was signifieantly lowered. In 1997, lead was totally replaeed by other additives in petrol. In order to see the effeet this legislation the department ofhealth (RIVM) started an inve-stigation to the pollution of several forest soUs loeated c10se to highways. The Duteh geologieal survey (now NITG-TNO) was asked to determine the natural baekground oflead and traee metals and to investigate the several sourees oflead by means of Pb isotopes.
Materiał and methods
Two loeations (Nunspeet and Moergestel) were seleeted from the existing monitoring network. These loeations were sampled in 1990. To determine the influenee of the ehange to unleaded petrol these two loeations were sampled again by NITG-TNO in 1997. Prom these loeations topsoils and sediment (mostly driftsands with more than 90% quartz) were sampled at three distanees from the highway. To get an indication of atmospherie deposition also some liehens were sampled at various distanees from the highway in 1997. In addition, tree bark was sampled at Moergestel to investi-gate the aeeumulating effeet of metais in plants.
Results
As expeeted, many traee metais inerease c10ser to the *NITG-TNO, Department ofGeo-Infrastructure, Geochemical Section, PO Box 157,2000 AD Haarlem, The Netherlands
**IMAG-DLO, PO Box 43, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
938
highway. This effeet is more prominent at the loeation Nunspeet than at Moergestel. Elements that show the largest enriehments are Pb, Zn and Cu. Other elements like Sn, Mo, Ag, As, Cr and REEs inerease as well. Almost all anthropo-genie metal enriehments are found in the humie top soil. N o enriehments are found below the humie layer. The eoneen-tration of the traffie related elements is strongly dependent on the amount of organie matter and the thiekness of the humie layer. At loeation one (Nunspeet) the amount of organie matter is lower and the humie layer is thinner than at loeation 2 (Moergestel). This is also refleeted in the amount of traffie related metals.
At both loeations, lead and almost all other traffie related element s show a significant inerease at both loeations from 1991 to 1997. Lead isotopes at Nunspeet showed a shift for 206pbP07Pb of 1.11 in 1991 towards 1.14 in 1997 in the humie layer. In Moergestel, the shift in Pb isotopes was similar to Nunspeet at the top of the humie layer, but disappeared lower in the soil profile. The 206pbP07Pb ratio of atmospheric deposition as measured in the liehens showed also a value of 1.14 in 1997 (Not measured in 1991). The sampled bark at Moergestel showed high eoneentrations of metal s (Pb
=
300 ppm; Cu = 40, Ni =10, Zn = 80 Cd = 1) relatively to the metal eoneentrations in the liehens and are also independent from the distanee from the highway.
Discussion
The differenees in the effeet ofhighway between the two loeations ean be explained by a higher "baekground" atmos-pherie eontribution at the loeation Moergestel than at loea-tion Nunspeet. This is beeause Nunspeet is situated in a less populated area than Moergestel without major industrial aetivities. In addition the forest at Nunspeet is more dense and not interrupted by agrieultural plots. Other faetors that explain the differenees between the two sites are the amount
