The quality of analytical determinations of copper and zinc in serum. A collaborative study in a sample of Italian laboratories.
An external quality assurance scheme for Cu and Zn analysis in serum was carried out in Italy between 1989 and 1990. It included: preparation of control materials by the organizing centre; distribution of control samples to the participants according to a random selection; elaboration of results and evaluation of laboratory performance. Inter-laboratory variability was 16.9% and 16.4%, at concentrations of 0.94 and 1.08 mg/l, for Cu and Zn, respectively. Laboratory performance in terms of percentage of results within the limits of acceptability, improved for Cu, but not for Zn analysis.
Patriarca
M
M
Laboratorio di Biochimica Clinica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
Menditto
A
A
Muran
A
A
Morisi
G
G
D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc