Sample traceability - Glossary

Sample traceability is documented, unbroken proof that a sample's history, handling, and measurement belong to the specific tested batch. It supports the trustworthiness of a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) by showing that results are genuine, correctly assigned, and not mixed with another batch.

Core components of sample traceability and ISO standards

Physical chain of custody: Records who handled the sample and storage conditions, helping prevent swapping, contamination, or confusion about where the sample has been.
Digital data integrity: Protects electronic records, from raw instrument output to analyst interpretation, so data stay authentic and free from unrecorded changes or invalid results.
Metrological traceability: Links measurements to recognized reference standards, so unexplained errors can be investigated and final data remain valid. In the ISO/IEC 17025 context, these traceability layers make each testing step documented and verifiable.

Differences between sample traceability and tracking

Sample traceability is often confused with narrower concepts such as sample tracking, chain of custody, or metrological traceability. Sample tracking only shows where a sample is at a given moment, while full traceability covers its entire history. Chain of custody is narrower because it focuses on who possessed the physical sample during its journey.

Metrological traceability is one layer within the broader framework. It shows whether a measurement is anchored to a recognized standard, but it does not prove that the correct sample was tested. Sample traceability combines the physical record, the handling record, and the data record into one documented link between the tested batch and the CoA.

Core components of sample traceability and ISO standards

Differences between sample traceability and tracking

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