The characteristic function, a method-specific alternative to the Horwitz function.

The Horwitz function is compared with the characteristic function as a descriptor of the precision of individual analytical methods. The Horwitz function describes the trend of reproducibility SDs observed in collaborative trials in the food sector over a wide range of concentrations of the analyte. However, it is imperfectly adaptable for describing the precision of individual methods, which is the role of the characteristic function. An essential difference between the two functions is that the characteristic function can accommodate a detection limit. This makes it a useful alternative when the precision of a method down to a detection limit is of interest. Many characteristic functions have a simple mathematical form, the parameters of which can be estimated with the usual resources. The Horwitz function serves an additional role as a fitness-for-purpose criterion in the form of the Horwitz ratio (HorRat). This use also has some shortcomings. The functional form of the characteristic function (with suitable prescribed parameters) is better adapted to this task.