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Authors: Romain M Coulon 1, Roselyne Ameon 2, Steven Bell 3, Maurice Cox 3, Mikael Hult 4, Peter Ivanov 3, Simon Jerome 5, Stefaan Pommé 4, Benoit Sabot 6, Steven M Judge 1*
1. Bureau International des Poids et Mesures, Pavillon de Breteuil, 92312 Sèvres Cedex, France; 2. ALGADE, Avenue du Brugeaud, 87250 Bessines-sur-Gartempe, France; 3. National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW, United Kingdom; 4. JRC-Geel Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium; 5. Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norge; 6. Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, List, Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNE-LNHB), F-91120 Palaiseau, France
* retired
To protect nature and human health, the presence of artificial and natural radionuclides in the environment must be monitored. Specific measurement techniques such as gamma-ray spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting are widely deployed in monitoring laboratories around the world. In addition to the specific challenges of environmental measurements, such as the measurement of low activity levels, sample homogeneities and sampling uncertainty, metrological traceability is key to ensuring the comparability of the measurements performed worldwide.
To obtain an overview of the standardisation capabilities of NMIs for the production of primary standards for radionuclides in the environment, a survey was carried out on the basis of literature references and inter-laboratory key comparison data. The areas covered by the study are calibration radionuclides, releases from nuclear power plants, waste from nuclear decommissioning, radionuclides from nuclear weapons or from terrorist attacks, and naturally occurring materials.
The outcome of this study is a priority list of radionuclides where metrological traceability needs to be improved. Recommendations are given for how such improvement could take place, for example, by developing new standardisation techniques, extending measurement range, improving sample purity or homogeneity, or by establishing comparison or proficiency exercises.
