Radioanalytical Emergency Response Exercise

Published

October 16, 2008

Author(s)

Kenneth G. Inn, Iisa Outola, S Nour, Hiromu Kurosaki, L Albin, A Berne

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program) and the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML Performance Testing 0904) recently conducted two independent radiological emergency preparedness exercises to evaluate participating radioanalytical laboratories' capability or making measurements under a short time constraint.Six NRIP participating laboratories received five replicate samples of spiked soil, water, air filter, urine, feces and their appropriate blanks then reported measurements of gamma-ray emitters, gross alpha, gross beta, and radioisotopics within eight hours of sample receipt. The scope of the exercise was to evaluate the capacity of a laboratory to return accurate results within eight hours. Almost all laboratories met the eight hour turnaround time. Most of the reported measurements were for gamma-ray emitting radionuclides, some for gross alpha and gross beta analysis, and two laboratories reported radioisotopic results. Reported expanded uncertainties (k=2) were as follows: 3 - 100 percent for gamma-ray measurements, 1 - 18 percent for gross alpha measurements, 3 - 17 percent for gross beta measurements, and 14 - 21 percent for radioisotopic results.

Citation

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

airfilter, emergency, exercise, feces, radionuclear, soil, traceability, urine, water

Citation

Inn, K. , Outola, I. , Nour, S. , Kurosaki, H. , Albin, L. and Berne, A. (2008), Radioanalytical Emergency Response Exercise, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry (Accessed February 5, 2026)