The IAEA Terrestrial Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory organizes annual proficiency test (PT) and interlaboratory comparison (ILC) exercises for Member State and ALMERA laboratories. These exercises are designed to monitor and demonstrate their performance and analytical capabilities, and to identify gaps and problem areas where further development is needed.
The annual exercises contain varied sets of environmental samples to be characterized by participating laboratories for anthropogenic and natural alpha, beta and gamma emitting radionuclides. Participants can report their measurement results on radionuclides of their choice; it is not compulsory to report measurement results on all requested radionuclides and/or samples. Individual reports containing the evaluation on the measurement results are available for participants to download within a few months after the reporting deadline.
Current Proficiency Test Exercises
IAEA-TERC-2023-01/02 Proficiency Test
Applications are now open for the IAEA-TERC-2023-01/02 Proficiency Test Exercises on the determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, soil and simulated contaminated surface samples on the
TERC Proficiency Test Data Portal.
The year’s sample set includes:
3 water samples including 1 quality control to test anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water;
1 soil sample for gamma-ray spectrometry analysis; and
2 simulated contaminated surface samples for analysis.
The full instructions for this year’s PT exercises will be published on the reporting system prior to the shipment of the samples.
Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Proficiency Test Team at Proficiency-Tests.Contact-Point@iaea.org.
Previous Proficiency Tests
IAEA-TERC-2022-01/02 Proficiency Test
World Wide and ALMERA Proficiency Test Exercises on the determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, soil (gamma-ray spectrum analysis exercise), and simulated contaminated surface samples.
The instructions, the Soil gamma-ray spectrum analysis exercise and the results for the exercise are available on the TERC Proficiency Test Data Portal.
IAEA-TEL-2021-03 WWOPT and IAEA-TEL-2021-04 ALMERA Proficiency Test
Proficiency Test on determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, Japanese bamboo and simulated swipe samples
Documents
S-Shape Reports:
IAEA-TEL-2020-03 WWOPT 2020 and IAEA-TEL-2020-04 ALMERA PT 2020
Proficiency Test on determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water and fish samples and gross alpha and beta estimation on simulated aerosol filter.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- Sample 01, Water spiked with anthropogenic and natural radionuclides, 500 g;
- Sample 02, Water spiked with anthropogenic gamma and beta emitters, 500 g;
- Sample 03, Water as QC sample, with known radionuclide content (isotope and activity with associated uncertainty), 500 g
- Sample 04, Dried fish sample spiked with anthropogenic and natural radionuclides, sample volume approx. 150 g
- Sample 05, 06 and 07, Printed disk samples for gross alpha and beta measurement, Sr-90(Y-90), Cm-244 and mixed respectively
PT-ID
|
Count Participants Registered |
from Number of Countries |
Count Results submitted |
from Number of Countries
|
|---|
| IAEA-TEL-2020-03 | 257
| 69 | 215 | 58 |
| IAEA-TEL-2020-04 | 105
| 59 | 89 | 51 |
Documents
S-Shape Reports:
IAEA-TEL-2019-03 WWOPT 2019 and IAEA-TEL-2019-04 ALMERA PT 2019
Determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, shrimp and simulated filters The identification of the gamma-emitting radionuclides has to be carried-out by the participants. The alpha and beta emitters to be analyzed will be specified in the cover letter.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- Sample 01 Drinking water spiked with anthropogenic gamma-emitting isotopes and Sr-89, Sr-90 (in equilibrium with Y-90, 500 g,
- Sample 02 Drinking water spiked with anthropogenic gamma and beta emitters, 500 g
- Sample 03 Drinking water as QC sample, with known radionuclide content (isotope and activity with associated uncertainty), 500 g
- Sample 04 Shrimp. 200 g
- Sample 05, 06, 07 Simulated Air Filters
Documents
IAEA-TEL-2018-03 WWOPT 2018 and IAEA-TEL-2018-04 ALMERA PT 2018
Determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, milk powder and calcium carbonate The identification of the gamma-emitting radionuclides has to be carried-out by the participants. The alpha and beta emitters to be analyzed will be specified in the cover letter.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- Sample 01 Drinking water spiked with anthropogenic gamma-emitting isotopes and Sr-89, Sr-90 (in equilibrium with Y-90, 500 g,
- Sample 02 Drinking water spiked with anthropogenic gamma and beta emitters, 500 g
- Sample 03 Drinking water as QC sample, with known radionuclide content (isotope and activity with associated uncertainty), 500 g
- Sample 04 Agricultural soil spiked with anthropogenic gamma emitter radionuclides, sample volume approx. 250 g
- Sample 05, 06, 07 Contaminated surfaces for surface contamination measurement
Documents
IAEA-TEL-2017-03 WWOPT 2017 and IAEA-TEL-2017-04 ALMERA PT 2017
Proficiency Test on the determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, milk powder and Ca-carbonate of natural origin. The identification of the gamma-emitting radionuclides has to be carried-out by the participants. The alpha and beta emitters to be analyzed will be specified in the cover letter.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- Sample 01 drinking water spiked with gamma-emitting isotopes and gross alpha/beta, 500 g,
- Sample 02 drinking water spiked with anthropogenic gamma emitting isotopes, Radio-Sr and Tritium Isotopes, 500 g
- Sample 03 QC sample, water, 500g
- Sample 04 milk powder, Radio-SR Isotopes, Cs-134, Cs-137
- Sample 05 calcium carbonate (CaCO3) with NORM
IAEA-TEL-2016-03 WWOPT 2016 and IAEA-TEL-2016-04 ALMERA PT 2016
Determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, biota and soil samples The identification of the gamma-emitting radionuclides has to be carried-out by the participants. The alpha and beta emitters to be analyzed will be specified in the cover letter.
Almera only: For U-series the measurement by gamma ray spectrometry should be performed, when the Ra-226 and Rn-222 equilibrium is reached in the sample (minimum 30 days after closing the sample into the Rn-tight sample container). The activity reporting for progenies of natural decay series should be based exactly on the identified radionuclide, without branching ration correction.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- Sample 01 drinking water spiked with gamma-emitting isotopes and gross alpha/beta, 500 g,
- Sample 02 drinking water spiked with beta-emitting isotopes (Sr-90 and Sr-89), Am-241 and Cm-244 for gross alpha/beta, 500 g
- Sample 03 milled clover spiked with anthropogenic radionuclides (the isotopes and activity values are published in the cover letter), 100 g
- Sample 04 spruce needles, naturally contaminated with Sr-90 and gamma emitters, 120 g
- Sample 05 sediment containing NORM (only ALMERA), 100 g
IAEA-TEL-2015-03 WWOPT and IAEA-TEL-2015-04 ALMERA PT
Proficiency test on the determination of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in water, brown rice and soil samples at the suggestion of the ALMERA Reference Material and Proficiency Test Workgroup during the coordination meeting held in Vienna, 2014.
The identification of the gamma-emitting radionuclides has to be carried-out by the participants. For U-series the measurements should be performed, when the Ra-226 and Rn-222 equilibrium is reached in the sample (minimum 30 days after closing the sample into the sample container, and the application of Rn tight container is recommended). The activity reporting in case of progenies of natural decay series should be based exactly on the identified radionuclide. For example please do not apply the branching ratio correction for the activity calculation of the Tl-208 isotope.
- Detailed Sample Description:
- 01 Spiked water, 500g, Anthropogenic gamma emitters and Sr-90
- 02 Spiked water, 500g, Anthropogenic gamma emitters
- 03 Spiked water, 500g, Quality control sample with known massic activity of Eu-152
- 04 Brown rice, 200g, Gamma emitters
- 05 Soil, 250g, Gamma emitters, Sr-90, U-238, U-234 and Pu isotopes
- 06 Soil, 200g, U-238 and U-234
For more information contact us at Proficiency-Tests.Contact-Point@iaea.org
