The growth of industrial. agricultural and other human activitieshas pumped a lot of chemicals intothe environment leading to pollution problems.
With the increase in publicawareness. agencies are carryingout quantitative measurements onpollutants. As pollutants are neverpresent in their pure form. butform a complex matrix with theirsurroundings. several tests have tobe performed to obtain accurateand precise results on quantitativeanalysis. like the AtomicAbsorption Spectrometer or theGas Chromatograph tests. Theinstruments used in these testsrequire standard chemicals toenable experts to judge the level ofpollution.
India lacks an agency which caninform laboratories on these reference standards and how to procurethem. Keeping this in mind. theFirst National Workshop onDevelopment and Use of Environmental Reference Materials washeld in New Delhi recently underthe auspices of the CentralPollution Control Board (CPCB).
Establishing of a ReferenceMaterial (RM) Forum was recommended in the workshop to serveas a primary source of informationfor the country. The CPCB was alsourged to support projects fordeveloping RMs.
It was felt by experts that aquestionnaire should be sent to allanalytical agencies relating toquestions on the type. quality andquantity of standards required.and how they procure the same.
Several participants recommended a Nodal Agency whichwould associate the private sectorto assure enough fund inflow.