IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Necessity of recommendations and guidelines in

gamma spectrometry: role of the IAEA and outcomes of the activities in this field

Alessia Ceccatelli, Chang-Kyu Kim

Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, IAEA Environment LaboratoriesSeibersdorf, Austria

ICRMGSWG workshop

Coincidence summing comparison on volume sourcesENEA, CR Casaccia, Rome (Italy)

18-19 October 2010

IAEA

Background

These procedures are usually publishedas IAEA Technical Reports:

� No. 295 (IAEA, 1989).� Generic procedures for monitoring in a

nuclear of radiological emergency (IAEA-TECDOC-1092, 1999)

� Quantifying uncertainty in nuclear analytical measurement (IAEA-TECDOC 1401, 2004)

The IAEA receives demands for the provision of analytical

procedures

� Reliable source of procedure

� Readily-available reference

� Widely-accepted method

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Objectives

Since 2005 the IAEA

Programme has included

activities on the development of

a set of procedures to:

• Upgrade IAEA technical report

• Provide MS with validated

analytical procedures

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How to Approach up to now

1. Review relevant papers

2. Select 1-2 candidate procedures

3. Validate candidate procedures (trueness, repeatability,

reproducibility, linearity, detection limit, chemical

recovery, ISO5725, ISO11927-7)

4. Prepare a draft of procedure

5. Review the selected procedure in a consultant meeting

6. Review it in the IAEA publication committee

7. Publish it as IAEA procedure

IAEA

Requirements on Analytical ProceduresRequirements on Analytical ProceduresRequirements on Analytical ProceduresRequirements on Analytical Procedures

of Radionuclidesof Radionuclidesof Radionuclidesof Radionuclides

Reliability Reliability Reliability Reliability Analysis time Analysis time Analysis time Analysis time CostCostCostCost

� � �• Accuracy• Precision

Rapid Cheap

Key points considered

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Inputs for developing procedures

• Results of IAEA Proficiency Tests (WWPT)

• Outputs of activities in the frame of the ALMERA

network (PTs, interlaboratory comparison exercises,

workshops, training courses, coordination

meetings)

• Outputs of activities in the frame of IAEA

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs)(Benchmarking Calibration for Low-Level Gamma Spectrometric

Measurements of Environmental Samples)

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The ALMERA Network

ALMERAALMERA = Analytical Laboratories for the

Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity

• Founded by the IAEA in 1995

• 119 Laboratories

• 74 Countries

Members of the network are nominated by their respective

IAEA Member States expected to provide reliable

and timely analysis of environmental samples in case of

accidental or intentional release of radioactivity

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Percentage of ALMERA Lab holding equipments

Percentage of Lab. (%)

0 20 40 60 80 100

Equip

ments

Gamma-spec

In-Situ

Alpha-spec

Grid

ZnS

LSC

Gas-pro

MS

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Gamma spectrometry: results of an IAEA ALMERA PT

CsCs--134134

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ALMERA Technical Visit – 1/2

�Took place at IAEA Seibersdorf Labs from 19th to 23th

July 2010 on “Coincidence summing and geometryCoincidence summing and geometry

correction in gamma spectrometrycorrection in gamma spectrometry””

� First event of this kind (workshop/training course) in

gamma spectrometry:

• 32 participants from 20 Countries, representing 24

different institutions, participated at their own cost !

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ALMERA Technical Visit – 2/2

�� Following demands:Following demands:

• Easy guidelines for application of correction methods

(procedures, advantages/disadvantages of software or

codes, uncertainty estimation)

• Homogenization of software/codes output format

• PT database with useful information for practical use

• PT results database (huge work !)

• Other workshops/technical visits of the same kind in

gamma spectrometry field

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ICRM GSWG_FORUM

Many discussions about necessity of Many discussions about necessity of providing easy guidelines (providing easy guidelines (i.e.i.e.

coincidence summing correction, coincidence summing correction, see Mr. Mike Woods concernssee Mr. Mike Woods concerns

2008/03/042008/03/04) ) to common users that often:to common users that often:

• Are not aware of the very large correction

• If aware they do not apply (lack of simple guides)

• Do not need to achieve high levels of accuracy in the correction

• Look to the experts to get recommendations and guidelines

(different correction methods and available software, estimation of

uncertainty using software and uncertainty budget, other issues as

correlations in fitting efficiency curves)

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IAEA Consultant Meeting

Title: “Long-term plan for the development of IAEA recommended

procedures of radionuclides in environmental samples”

• Took place in IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, from 30th August to 3rd

September 2010

• Recommendation: “The Committee recommends that coordinated research

projects (CRP) should be performed in parallel with development of new

IAEA procedures, and that these efforts will require new reference materials

(RM) and proficiency testing”.

• Conclusions: “The Committee concludes that a strong need exists for a

series of guidance manuals also aimed at developing countries needing to

cultivate new experts in radioisotope analysis. The Committee

recommends mechanisms using collaboration between Agency staff and

external experts for developing additional IAEA procedures and for

developing and publishing guidance manuals.

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Proposal

On the base of all these considerations:On the base of all these considerations:

a a collaboration between IAEA andcollaboration between IAEA and

ICRMGSWGICRMGSWG would be highly desirable towould be highly desirable to

fulfil usersfulfil users’’ requests in practical gammarequests in practical gamma

spectrometryspectrometry

IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Thank you for your attention