Pure and Applied Chemistry

Isotopic mixtures have long been considered as textbook examples of ideal solutions. High-precision vapor pressure measurements have shown that even these very simple mixtures exhibit deviations from the ideal behavior. The small, but still significant nonideality of isotopic mixtures can be accounted for in terms of the difference in the molar volumes of isotopic molecules. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the internal vibrations of the molecules significantly contribute to the excess Gibbs energy, and the proper consideration of the volume dependence of molecular vibrations of the component molecules is essential to the understanding of the properties of isotopic mixtures.

Method validation is one of the measures universally recognized as a necessary part of a comprehensive system of quality assurance in analytical chemistry. In the past, ISO, IUPAC, and AOAC International have cooperated to produce agreed protocols or guidelines on the "Design, conduct and interpretation of method performance studies" [1], on the "Proficiency testing of (chemical) analytical laboratories" [2], on "Internal quality control in analytical chemistry laboratories" [3], and on "The use of recovery information in analytical measurement" [4]. The Working Group that produced these protocols/guidelines has now been mandated by IUPAC to prepare guidelines on the single-laboratory validation of methods of analysis. These guidelines provide minimum recommendations on procedures that should be employed to ensure adequate validation of analytical methods.

A draft of the guidelines has been discussed at an International Symposium on the Harmonization of Quality Assurance Systems in Chemical Laboratory, the proceedings from which have been published by the UK Royal Society of Chemistry.