It's true that Adox MQ was used (among others) to control the speed of films. But it's not the same than ASA dev. According to Anchell & Troop, FDC , 42, the buffer included carbonate and bicarbonate.
The origins of the 1/3 stop meme may have come from the Forward of the standard. It's in the 1979 version and may be in the earlier versions. "(3) For any specific developer, the sensitometric speed rating method of this standard includes a 1/3 stop underexposure safety factor." This refers to where the average shadow exposure falls in relation to the fractional gradient point and is explained in the paper Safety Factors in Camera Exposure.
(...) the developer composition specified in PH2.5-1972 is identical to the one in PH2.5-1979 except for a weaker carbonate alkali system: 1.5g Sodium carbonate (anhydrous) and 1.0g Sodium bicarbonate, with a specified pH of 9.4 +/- 0.2 (...)
Indeed Ilford for example are explicit in this:- EXPOSURE RATING HP5 Plus has a speed rating of ISO 400/27 (400ASA, 27DIN, EI 400/27) to daylight. The ISO speed rating was measured using ILFORD ID-11 developer at 20oC/68oF with intermittent agitation in a spiral tank."