Driving up standards in drink-driving tests – LGC Standards launches new ethanol reference materials15-07-2010 New forensic ethanol reference materials for blood-alcohol level testing will help the UK meet new EU drink-driving limits
LGC, in its capacity as the UK’s designated National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalytical measurements, has extended its range of certified reference materials (CRMs) for ethanol in water by producing two new reference materials. These two new reference materials have been produced at concentrations of 50 and 67 milligrammes of ethanol per 100 millilitres –
in line with the current blood and urine alcohol limits for drink-driving in many European Countries.
In the UK, the limit in blood is currently 80 mg/100 mL, but the recently published North Review of Drink and Drug Driving Law strongly recommended that this limit be reduced to 50 mg/100 mL (http://northreview.independent.gov.uk). Although it is not certain if the new coalition Government will accept this recommended reduction, LGC Standards is ready to support forensic toxicologists by making these new reference materials available now.
These materials are intended for the calibration and validation of methods for the determination of ethanol in biological fluids, and have been produced under LGC’s accreditation to ISO Guide 34 for the production of reference materials.
The new reference materials meet the stringent technical guidelines of European Reference Materials (ERM®) status and the data were accepted as complying with the principles laid down in the Technical Guidelines of the ERM co-operation agreement between LGC, BAM and IRMM (http://www.erm-crm.org). The forensic ethanol reference materials were produced and certified by LGC, through chemical oxidation of the ethanol present with excess potassium dichromate
followed by titration with acidified iron (II) ammonium sulfate.
The complete range of forensic ethanol reference materials produced by LGC is:
20 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC409
50 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC510a
67 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC511a
80 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC 401
107 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC402
200 mg/100 mL ERM® - AC403
These reference materials are available from LGC Standards (www.LGCStandards.com),
the division of LGC that provides products and services to improve measurement in the
laboratory. For prices and ordering information, please email: uksales@lgcstandards.com
or call +44 (0)20 8943 8480. Notes to editors
About LGC Standards
LGC Standards (www.lgcstandards.com) provides products and services to improve
measurement and quality control within the laboratory, and is part of LGC, whose Science &
Technology Division acts as the UK National Measurement Institute for chemical and
bioanalytical measurements. LGC Standards supplies over 20,000 reference materials,
pharmaceutical impurity reference standards, proficiency testing and training in analytical
quality. LGC Standards is headquartered in Teddington, Middlesex, UK. Its global centre for
excellence in proficiency testing is located in Bury (Greater Manchester). LGC Standards has
offices in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, China, Russia and the UK, a joint
venture presence in India, and representatives in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland,
Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, Turkey and the US.
About LGC
LGC (www.lgc.co.uk) is an international science-based company and market leader in
analytical, forensic and diagnostic services and reference standards. A progressive and
innovative enterprise, LGC operates in socially responsible fields underpinning the safety,
health and security of the public and the regulation of industry, for UK government
departments and blue chip clients.
LGC operates internationally through four divisions - LGC Forensics, LGC Genomics, LGC
Standards and LGC Science & Technology, which includes specialist laboratories delivering
contracts for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and supporting LGC's
designated role as the UK's National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalytical
measurement.
Our operations are extensively accredited to international quality standards such as ISO
17025. With headquarters in Teddington, South West London, the LGC Group employs 1500
staff in 28 laboratories and centres across Europe and at sites in India, China and the US.
Privatised in 1996 and now majority-owned by funds managed by Bridgepoint, LGC was
founded almost 170 years ago as the Laboratory of the Government Chemist - a statutory
function maintained by LGC today.
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