1. Nuclear Power Regulatory Overview
The Keys To Our Success By
Bob Wills RRPT
GEL Laboratories, LLC

2. Key Objectives REMP-RETS & 10 CFR 61 Activities
NRC – ODCM – REG Guides – NUREG-BTP’s
Isotopes of Concern (How Hard To Look)
QA/QC Regulatory Requirements
Review Rad-Waste BTP & REMP BTP
MARLAP

3. What Factors Drive QA/QC in US Nuclear Facilities?

4. Key Elements Outlined In Title 10 CFR 61
Classification of waste for near surface disposal
Considerations given to long lived radionuclides and their shorter lived precursors (Parent to Daughter)
Consideration must be given to the concentration of the radionuclide
Consideration must be given to the physics form of the radionuclide (Normal or Special Form)

5. Key Isotopes For Waste Classification As Noted In 10 CFR 61.55
Ni-59
Nb-94
Tc-99
I-129
Pu-241
Cm-242
Alpha emitting nuclides with T1/2 greater than 5yr
All nuclides with T1/2 less than 5yr
H-3
C0-60
Ni-63
Sr-90
Cs-137

6. NRC NUREG 6239
Radioanalytical technology for 10 CFR 61 selected radionuclides
Analytical methods for C-14, Co-60,Ni-63/59, Tc-99, Sr-90, Nb-94, I-129, Cs-137
Additional isotopes
Be-7/10, Al-26, Cl-36, Mo-93,
Cd-109/113m, Sn 121m/126

7. How low do you need to go for 10 CFR 61 isotopes?
Limits as noted in the BTP page 5 are 0.01 times the value as noted in Table 1 or Table 2
GEL’s administrative limits are 1000 times lower than the required limits
Lets review the values in BTP page 5...

8. Analytical Requirements in the ODCM
Within the ODCM you have license requirements for analytical testing
The Environmental Monitoring section lists requirements for interlaboratory comparison programs
This may apply to 10 CFR 61 programs
Would this be a good work practice for INPO?

9. Key Isotopes for REMP Gross Alpha / Beta (Air Samples)
Tritium (Ground and Drinking Water)
Co-60 (Ground and Drinking Water / Food)
Cs-137(Ground and Drinking Water/ Food)
I-131 (Milk and Air Samples)
Ni-63 (Ground and Drinking Water)
Fe-55 (Ground and Drinking Water)
Sr-89 & 90 (Ground and Drinking Water

10. How low do you need to go for REMP analysis?
All LLD’s (MDC) listed are “a-priori” or prior to the count (page 40 NUREG-1301) guidance for ODCM
Limits as noted in the REMP BTP NUREG-1301 page 64 Table
All programs are driving MDC’s well below the required limits
Many plants are requesting Tritium at 150 pCi/L

11. Need a Break?

12. NRC Regulatory Guides & NUREGs

13. NRC Regulatory Guide 4.15
Records: Track and Control of Samples, Instrument Data (Backgrounds, Calibration Data etc.)
Radionuclide Reference Standards used for Calibration (NIST traceable)
Performance checks required with control charts
Corrective action program to review conditions that fall outside the predetermined control value

14. 4.15 Guide Continued Alpha and gamma detectors energy calibration
Energy resolution checks for spectrometry systems
Quality control samples
Intralaboratory Analysis (Duplicates), LCS, Method Blank
Data Review and Computational Checks
Audits of laboratory systems

15. Overview of MARLAP Volume I, II, III

16. MARLAP Table Of Contents Review
Volume 1 section 3.0 Sample Matrix Planning
Volume 1 section 8.0 Data V&V / Quality Control Samples etc.
Volume II section 12.0 Laboratory Sample Prep.
Volume II section 15.0 Quantification of Radionuclides
Volume II section 16 Data Acquisition, Reduction and Reporting
Volume II section 18 Laboratory QC

17. Questions?

18. Ni-63 Beta Spectrum

19. Tc-99m Beta/Gamma Spectrum
No mass or charge, so are not directly detectable.
Normally accompanied by alpha and beta particles, auger and/or conversion electrons
Internal conversion ….
gamma interacts with orbital electron
Energy given to electron allows escape (conversion electron)
Outer shell electron fills vacancy…excess energy emitted as xray or Auger Electron.
Electron Capture
Nucleus captures electron…proton converted to neutron
Outer shell electron fills vacancy…excess energy emitted as xray or Auger Electron

20. Tc-99 Beta Spectrum
Shared energy between the beta particle and an antineutrino
Because of energy sharing and non-detectability of antineutrinos, the energy spectrum is very broad.
0 to Emax

21. Fe-55/Fe-59 Beta Spectrum