Chemistry - strategic overview

BIPM work programme - Metrology in Chemistry and Biology

Advancing global comparability of chemical and biological measurement standards and capabilities, enabling measurements to be made with confidence

Accurate chemical and biochemical measurements are vital to many sectors, including healthcare and diagnostics, the environment and climate, food safety, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

The aim of our work is to maintain and develop services for comparing chemical and biochemical standards and reference measurement capabilities as part of the global inter-laboratory comparisons coordinated through the CCQM, in addition to developing related knowledge transfer projects for Member States and Associates with emerging metrology systems, and promoting the development and use of SI traceable standards and measurements internationally.

The services we provide are:

Coordination of comparisons of national measurement standards for:
- greenhouse gases, demonstrating consistency at levels required to support national energy and environmental priorities;
- major air quality gases, demonstrating consistency at levels required to support national health and environmental priorities.
Support for the provision of the basis for metrological traceability for organic and biochemical measurements by coordinating comparisons of primary reference materials for:
- small organic molecules - demonstrating consistency at levels required to support reference measurement systems for laboratory medicine, food safety, forensics, environmental analysis and pharma;
- peptides and large organic molecules - demonstrating consistency at levels required to support reference measurement systems for laboratory medicine and health care sectors.
Provision of knowledge transfer activities in the fields where it coordinates comparisons, providing support for national metrology programmes addressing:
- food Safety,
- laboratory Medicine,
- clean Air.
Promotion and development of the use of SI traceable standards and measurements (available from the NMIs) with intergovernmental stakeholders.
Maintenance of the JCTLM Database of higher-order reference materials, measurement methods/procedures and services for Laboratory Medicine.