title: Quality assurance in aquatic biology--a user's perspective.
abstract: The essential elements of developing biological quality assurance systems are presented in terms of the 4M principles. These relate to methods, manpower, materials, and machines. The use of international or European standards is recommended where such standards exist. Users must be sure that these are appropriate to their specific needs as standardisation can require considerable compromise. Examples of limitations in international standards are given with reference to the coliform isolation by membrane filtration, Daphnia magna acute toxicity test and the luminescent bacteria test. The criteria for the selection and use of national methodologies are considered using macroinvertebrate, macrophytes, imposex, and the oyster embryo bioassay as examples. In recognising that the main resource in science is the skill, training, and dedication of the scientists themselves, the United Kingdom has developed a quality initiative aimed at best utilising the human resource, the so-called Investors in People (IIP) initiative. This contains the essential elements of any quality system: commitment, planning, action, and evaluation. Quality aspects of the materials and the machines used in biological analyses are briefly considered.
authors.affiliation: Industrial and Technology Research Unit, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. p.hale@dedni.gov.uk
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hale
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D011786:Quality Control; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants