develop consensus standards for use by TNI's programs. This group has a support role in assisting other programs with activities such as guidance and standards interpretation.
fosters the generation of data of known and documented quality is through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories.
is to establish and maintain a national PT program to support TNI’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, and other activities.
Field Activities Program (NEFAP) Executive Committee is to establish and implement an accreditation program for field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMOs).
Audit Sample Program is to develop consensus standards for the manufacture and analysis of audit samples for source emission testing.
on a variety of topics of interest to the environmental measurement community. TNI also hosts two regularly scheduled meetings per year, typically in January and August. Both are a week long and involve open meetings of TNI committees as well as training courses and other special sessions.Standard Interpretation
Standard: 2003 NELAC
Section: Appendix D.3.1.a.5
Link to relevant standard
REQUEST:
How are other AB's interpreting this standard: 5) A sterility blank shall be performed on each batch of dilution water prepared in the laboratory and on each batch of pre-prepared, ready-to-use dilution water with non-selective growth media."
Are you requiring a sterility check with non-selective growth media for any dilution water (i.e. Deionized, distilled, etc.) or just those dilution waters whose preparation is described in microbiological procedures, like phosphate buffer water or peptone water?
TNI FINAL RESPONSE:
If sterility is required for use (whether in-house or purchased), then sterility must be checked prior to use. If the water is being used to prepare media or buffered water, then a sterility check is not needed until after the reagent has been prepared. A sterility check must be performed on any dilution water.