Interlaboratory comparability, bias, and precision for four laboratories measuring constituents in precipitation, November 1982-August 1983

Water-Resources Investigations Report 85-4313
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Abstract

Four laboratories were evaluated in their analysis of identical natural and simulated precipitation water samples. Interlaboratory comparability was evaluated using analysis of variance coupled with Duncan 's multiple range test, and linear-regression models describing the relations between individual laboratory analytical results for natural precipitation samples. Results of the statistical analyses indicate that certain pairs of laboratories produce different results when analyzing identical samples. Analyte bias for each laboratory was examined using analysis of variance coupled with Duncan 's multiple range test on data produced by the laboratories from the analysis of identical simulated precipitation samples. Bias for a given analyte produced by a single laboratory has been indicated when the laboratory mean for that analyte is shown to be significantly different from the mean for the most-probable analyte concentrations in the simulated precipitation samples. Ion-chromatographic methods for the determination of chloride, nitrate, and sulfate have been compared with the colorimetric methods that were also in use during the study period. Comparisons were made using analysis of variance coupled with Duncan 's multiple range test for means produced by the two methods. Analyte precision for each laboratory has been estimated by calculating a pooled variance for each analyte. Analyte estimated precisions have been compared using F-tests and differences in analyte precisions for laboratory pairs have been reported. (USGS)
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Interlaboratory comparability, bias, and precision for four laboratories measuring constituents in precipitation, November 1982-August 1983
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 85-4313
DOI 10.3133/wri854313
Edition -
Year Published 1985
Language ENGLISH
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey,
Description iii, 14 p. ;28 cm.
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