Traceability of chemical measurements in the context of the Water Framework Directive

The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requires EU member states to implement a water status monitoring program as part of the management plans for European river systems. This program includes an assessment of the chemical status of surface and groundwater, involving measurements of chemical substances characteristic of anthropogenic risks. The direct application of the concept of traceability is not easily adapted to the wide range of measurements involved in this monitoring compared with physical measurement procedures, due to the variety of sample composition. A further difficulty lies in the lack of awareness among routine laboratories of the fundamental principles of metrology. This article discusses the applicability of the traceability principle to the chemical monitoring program of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), based on concrete examples.