Radioactivity Metrology – Structure, facilities and projects Piers de Lavison Group Leader, Radioactivity & Neutrons

Radioactivity & Neutrons Group Radioactivity – 19 permanent staff –Physicists –Radio Chemists –Customer Service –Dispatcher Neutron Group – 9 permanent staff –Physicists –Engineers (facility maintenance) Outside the Group –Health Physics / RPA support –Engineering Services support for hardware design –Analytical Science and Materials teams for non-radiological assay

Radioactivity Facilities –A radiochemistry suite with range of glove boxes, fume cupboards and facilities for sample processing, sample dispensing, radiochemical analysis and measurement –High efficiency (low background), and high resolution Ge γ-ray spectrometers –Liquid scintillation spectrometers for routine and low level measurement –Primary and secondary liquid scintillation systems (inc. β-γ coincidence, CIEMAT-NIST and TDCR) –4π β-γ atmospheric and high pressure gas flow proportional counters –Primary and secondary systems for assay of radioactivity in gas –Primary and secondary large area systems –α-particle spectrometry systems –High stability ionisation chambers –EA license to hold 100’s of nuclides, at relatively high activities, and handle related waste

National Measurement System Programme NMS Acoustics & Ionising Radiation (Started October ’07) Themes: –Acoustics –Dosimetry –Knowledge Transfer –Management and Regulatory Compliance (health physics) –Neutrons –Radioactivity ~ 6500 man-days Radioactivity Projects: –Primary Standards (inc. nuclear data evaluations) –Secondary Standards (inc. facility maintenance and QA) –Nuclear Medicine –Environmental Monitoring –Radiation Protection –Nuclear Decommissioning

Measurement Services Various, including: –Calibration of hospital ion chambers –Supply of standardised solutions and custom sources –Measurement of –Radioanalytical service (predominantly samples arising from decommissioning activities) –Consultancy (measurement advice, good practice, etc.) –UKAS auditing

Strategy for Radioactivity –Standards – Increase range of CRMs (concrete, tritium in steel, soft waste, etc.) –Airborne Radioactivity – Support measurements in PET centres –Decommissioning / Nuclear new build – Consultancy / guidance (statistical analysis, sampling, etc.). Increase scope of Radioanalytical service –Proficiency Testing – Offer ISO 43-1 accredited tests (environmental, hospitals, etc.) –Radiopharmaceuticals / Nuclear Medicine – Increase spread of good practice, and take up of calibration service –Knowledge Transfer – Bids with NDA