The Evaluation of the Intercomparison Exercise for SO2, CO, O3, NO and NO2 - April 2008

In April 2008 in Ispra (IT), 8 AQUILA (Network of European Air Quality Reference Laboratories) laboratories met at an intercomparison exercise to evaluate their proficiency in the analysis of inorganic gaseous pollutants covered by European Air Quality Directives (SO2, CO, NO, NO2 and O3). The proficiency evaluation, where each participant¿s bias was compared to two criteria, provides information on the current situation and capabilities to the European Commission and can be used by participants in their quality control system. In terms of criteria imposed by the European Commission, 80% of the results reported by AQUILA laboratories were good both in terms of measured values and reported uncertainties. Another 18% of the results had good measured values, but the reported uncertainties were either too small (7%) or too high (11%). The comparability of results among AQUILA participants is satisfactory for all studied measurement methods.JRC.H.4-Transport and air qualit