This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: D6809 − 20a

Standard Guide for

Quality Control and Quality Assurance Procedures for
Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Related Materials1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6809; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* 2.2 ASTM Document:

MNL7 Manual on Presentation of Data Control Chart
1.1 This guide contains non-mandatory Quality Assurance/
Analysis, 6th Edition, Section 3: Control Charts for
Quality Control (QA/QC) activities that may be referenced in Individuals3
standards maintained by ASTM Committee D16 on Aromatic
Hydrocarbons and Related Materials. 2.3 Other Documents:
Western Electric Company, Inc. Statistical Quality Control
1.2 This guide does not purport to address all of the issues Handbook (1982)4
that may be pertinent to an active QA/QC process. Juran’s Quality Control Handbook Fourth Edition (1988)5
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3. Terminology
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 3.1 Definitions:
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter- 3.1.1 precision, n—the degree of agreement of repeated
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. measurement of the same property, expressed in terms of
dispersion of test results about an arithmetical mean result
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
obtained by repetitive testing of a homogeneous sample under
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
specified conditions. The precision of a test method is ex-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the pressed quantitatively as a standard deviation computed from
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- the results of a series of controlled determinations. D4790
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. 3.1.2 quality assurance, n—the general activity of providing
evidence needed to establish confidence that the quality func-
tion is being effectively performed; may include quality
2. Referenced Documents
planning, quality control, quality improvement, quality audit,
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 and reliability. Juran’s Quality Control Handbook
D4790 Terminology of Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Related 3.1.3 quality control, n—the specific tools, skills, or tech-
Chemicals niques through which the quality function is carried out, can be
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in part of a control process, for example, product inspection.
ASTM Test Methods Juran’s Quality Control Handbook
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
Determine the Precision of a Test Method 4. Summary of Guide
4.1 This guide contains non-mandatory information to be
considered for reference in all ASTM Committee D16 stan-
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D16 on Aromatic, dards on aromatic hydrocarbons and related materials. This
Industrial, Specialty and Related Chemicals and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D16.06 on Statistics and Quality.
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2020. Published October 2020. Originally
3
approved in 2002. Last previous edition approved in 2020 as D6809 – 20. DOI: Available from ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West
10.1520/D6809-20A. Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, www.astm.org.
2 4
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from American Society for Quality (ASQ), 600 N. Plankinton Ave.,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Milwaukee, WI 53203, http://www.asq.org.
5
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from McGraw-Hill Education, Columbus, OH, 43218, http://
the ASTM website. www.mheducation.com.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

1
 D6809 − 20a
information is provided as a QA/QC system guide for D16 testing precision should be compared periodically with ASTM
standard users who do not have an active QA/QC process in method precision (as developed using Practice E691) where
their laboratory. possible. If the QC test precision is considerably worse than the
ASTM method precision, continuous improvement activity
5. Significance and Use should be initiated to improve the QC test precision.
5.1 Quality Control and Quality Assurance practices are 6.5 Out-of-Control Data Points—Any QC sample data point
important for the optimum operation of testing laboratories outside the upper or lower control limits, or that violates any
using D16 methods for aromatic hydrocarbons and related other valid statistical rule being used in the facility (for
materials. Quality procedure guidelines, like those described in example, Western Electric SQC Handbook), should be consid-
this document or other suitably correct QA/QC-related ered out-of-control. Such a result should trigger an investiga-
reference, can be useful to optimally perform these methods. tion to determine the root cause, and the implementation of
6. Quality Procedure Guidelines appropriate corrective action(s).
6.1 Statistical Control—To establish the statistical control 6.6 Frequency of QC Sample Testing—For routine testing
status of the testing process since the last valid calibration, (for example, plant quality control), QC testing frequency is
quality control (QC) samples should be regularly tested as if dependent on the criticality of the parameter being measured,
they were routine samples. Results should be recorded and the demonstrated stability of the testing process, and customer
immediately analyzed by control charts, as described in MNL7, requirements. Generally, QC samples should be analyzed at a
or other statistically equivalent techniques. Any out-of-control defined frequency with samples. Additional QC sample testing
data should provide an immediate trigger for an investigation is also recommended after a change is made relating to the
of root cause(s) that might require corrective action. method (for example, replenishment of reagents, change of
analyst, maintenance of instrument, etc.). For non-routine
6.2 Selection of the QC Sample—Choose an ample quantity testing (for example, R&D process development), the analyst
of a homogeneous material that is representative of the should determine an appropriate QC testing frequency to
sample(s) routinely being tested with the testing process, and meaningfully monitor test performance.
capable of being stored without degradation over the intended
period of use. Carefully consider the matrix, interfering 6.7 Interlaboratory Testing—A program that includes mul-
species, and analyte concentration/value. Primary standard tiple laboratories analyzing the same samples that allows
materials may be used to characterize the precision and bias of laboratories to compare their results with other laboratories.
the method, as described in Practice E177. This is particularly important when a producer is selling the
product to customers or the laboratory is analyzing the product
6.3 Control Charting—Use any valid statistical charting for acceptance. Producers and customers need to have confi-
technique for variables (for example, individuals/range, dence that results from different laboratories are comparable.
CUSUM, subgroups, moving averages, etc., as described in Participation in such a program is strongly encouraged. ASTM
MNL7) where appropriate. currently has a Proficiency Testing Program that sends a
6.4 QC Material Statistics—Obtain a minimum of 16 data sample of mixed xylenes, p-xylene, and benzene to multiple
points (24 is better) when a new QC material is started or an laboratories twice a year for testing. Other programs are
existing QC material requires replacement (for example, due to acceptable.
contamination or depleted supply), to establish a statistically-
acceptable mean, and upper and lower control limits. Fewer 7. Keywords
data points will produce less acceptable control determinations, 7.1 aromatic hydrocarbons; quality; quality assurance; qual-
and are acceptable only if absolutely necessary. QC material ity control

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee D16 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (D6809 –
20) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved October 1, 2020.)

(1) Subsection 6.7 was revised.

Committee D16 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (D6809 –
02 (Reapproved 2016)) that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved June 1, 2020.)

(1) Subsection 6.7: A program that includes multiple laborato-

ries analyzing the same samples is strongly encouraged.

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 D6809 − 20a
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