Do we need quality assurance and quality control of analytical measurements in R&D laboratories?

Analysis is of critical importance to a wide range of subject areas, including those relevant to this new journal, i.e. food, agriculture and environment. There is no place within the context of good scientific research for the view that 'analysis is routine, easy and boring, i.e. not worth spending time or money on'. Gillespie(1) put this simply and succinctly: 'rubbish in, rubbish out'. Proper care during the entire analytical process, i.e. from the collection of samples to the analysis in the laboratory, can have far reaching consequences. To mention just one example, the incorporation of a new NIST Standard Reference Material for sulfur content as a tool to improve quality control (QC) during analysis significantly reduced measurement uncertainties, achieved considerable savings for manufacturers, and decreased S emissions to the environment(2).