Abstract
The European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) is a regional organization that coordinates and promotes collaboration among the national metrology institutes (NMIs) of European countries. These institutes are responsible for ensuring accurate, reliable measurements in science, industry, and commerce. EURAMET helps harmonize measurement standards, facilitates joint research projects, and promotes the development and dissemination of measurement science and technologies. The European Partnership on Metrology (EPM) is a collaborative initiative launched as part of the Horizon Europe framework to advance measurement science (metrology) across Europe. Aims to strengthen Europe’s capabilities in measurement science, which is essential for scientific research, industrial innovation, and regulatory compliance.
The Reference Gas Laboratory (LGR), part of National Metrology Institute (NMI) at the Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ) plays an important role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of gas measurements in Portugal. Its primary function is to produce and certify reference gas mixtures and provide calibration services to industries and laboratories that require gas compositions with high accuracy. The laboratory supports metrological traceability, ensuring that measurements related to gases conform to internationally recognized standards. This laboratory also collaborates in international metrology projects, contributing to the advancement of gas metrology and the development of new measurement techniques. One of these projects is MetCCUS – Metrology support for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, that plays a crucial role in developing the measurement science needed to ensure that Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies can be deployed effectively, accurately monitored, and integrated into global climate strategies. This project supports the broader effort to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.
As part of the MetCCUS project, the contribution of the LGR involves the preparation of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) to enable the measurement of impurities in CO₂ with metrological traceability. This provides essential support for method validation and the calibration of instruments used in carbon capture processes. LGR has prepared several bicomponent and multicomponent mixtures with different impurities in a CO₂ matrix. These gas mixtures were characterized and performed interferences and stability studies.
This project is an example of how metrology, as measurement science, can contribute to the environmental monitoring and give support to technological challenges toward a more sustainable future.
Biography
Dr. Carlos Costa holds a degree in Physics and Chemistry at University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and a postgraduate degree in Physical Engineering at Lisbon University, in Portugal. He has been working at the National Metrology Institute in Metrology Department of the Portuguese Institute for Quality, IPQ, since 2017. He is responsible for the Breath Analysers domain and, within the scope of the Reference Gas Laboratory, participates in several international projects and networks, namely MetCCUS – Metrology support for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, European Metrology Network for Energy Gases and European Metrology Network for Pollution Monitoring.