A study for the selection of NPE-free cocktails for LSC routine measurements

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - In this paper a study for the selection of an NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylates)—free cocktail is discussed in order to be used for our routine...     

Implementing quality assurance in an R&D environment at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre – SCK·CEN

If we agree that quality assurance (QA) in R&;D indeed provides added value, just how do we show the public that such a QA system is operating well? At the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKÖbullet CEN), where a QA system has been implemented by various laboratories in accordance with the EN 45001 standard within the general framework of ISO 9001 at the institutional level, several laboratories have already been accredited. At the request of one of our customers the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (NIRAS/ONDRAF), we implemented a quality system for research projects related to the characterization, treatment and processing of radioactive wastes in view of disposal. We obtained accreditation for this research in 1999. In this paper, we discuss the implementation of our QS and important issues related to the overall management of the QA system, broken down into three parts: organizational, technical and project-specific quality elements such as the QA plan and internal communication.     

Method validation and verification in liquid scintillation counting using the long-term uncertainty method (LTUM) on two decades of proficiency test data

Results from proficiency tests gathered over the past two decades by the laboratory for low level radioactivity measurements for liquid scintillation counting of ³H (184 results) and ¹⁴C (74 results) are used to verify the validated measurement methods used by the laboratory, in particular the estimated uncertainty budget of the method and its reproducibility and stability. A linear regression approach is used for the analysis of the results, described in the literature as the long term uncertainty in measurement method. The present study clearly indicates the advantages of using proficiency test results in identifying possible constant or proportional bias effects as well as the possibility to compare the laboratory performance with the performance of peer laboratories.