Presentation to: LSUF Liquid Scintillation Users Forum – Introduction – NPL Mike Woods September 2001

In 1899 the British Government approved the establishment of a National Physical Laboratory... “for the testing and verification of instruments, for the construction and preservation of standards of measurement and for the systematic determination of physical constants and numerical data useful for scientific and industrial purposes.” NPL Founded 1900

DTI FUNDED NMS PROGRAMME National Measurement System - Technical advice service - National committees - Training - User groups - Best practise guides - Publications/presentations Maintenance and development of primary and secondary standards Participation in international measurement system Maintenance of calibration facilities R&D related to standards and measurement Dissemination of standards and best practice

 Provision, maintenance, development & dissemination of standards for radioactivity, ionising radiation dosimetry and neutron measurement  Technical advice/support for good practice & innovation  Maintenance and demonstration of international equivalence In order to  Enable regulatory compliance (e.g. RPI calibrations, atmospheric discharge) – driven by increasing regulation  Improve quality of life (e.g. environmental monitoring, radiotherapy) – driven by public opinion and government policy  Provide economic benefit (e.g. Supply of radionuclides, radiation processing) – driven by increasing use and applications of radiation and radioactivity Ionising Radiation Metrology

Programme Formulation Process Outline themes & topics Jul-00 CIRM staff User communities Regulatory drivers Dec-00 Draft programme CIRM staff User communities Focus groups (Sep-00) MAC Working group Shallow studies Final programme May-01 CIRM staff User communities MAC Working group NMSPU/DTI MMI model

Technology Transfer Centre for Ionising Radiation Metrology (CIRM) Radioactivity Metrology Radiation Dosimetry Neutron Standards Major Measurement Facilities

4  (APPC)-  -coincidence counters 4  (HPPC)-  -coincidence counter 4  (LS)-  -coincidence counter Triple differential length gas counters Primary Standards Facilities/Techniques

 Liquid scintillation counters  CIEMAT-NIST  Well-type ionisation chambers  Ge spectrometers  NaI well crystals  Radon generator  Large-area, multi-wire proportional counter Secondary Standards Facilities

 Radiochemistry  VYNS source mount production  Health physics  Radioactive source inventory  Nuclear data evaluations Support Facilities

 Single and multi-nuclide standards (0.1 Bq/g to > MBq/g)  Hospital source calibration service  Radon-in-gas and radon-in-water  Gamma reference sources  Gas standards  Tritium monitor calibrations  Analytical services Measurement Services

 Mixed radionuclide solution 10 ml, 6 kBq total – 3 times per year 241 Am, 109 Cd, 57 Co, 139 Ce, 203 Hg, 113 Sn, 85 Sr, 137 Cs, 60 Co, 88 Y  Single radionuclide solutions U, Pu, Am, Th, 90 Sr, 99 Tc, 129 I, 35 S, 14 C, 3 H, 137 Cs, 60 Co, Environmental Standards

 Hospital Radionuclide Calibrators  Brachytherapy sources  Surface contamination monitors  Environmental samples Knowledge Transfer – Intercomparisons/Workshops

 Surface contamination monitor calibrations  Uncertainties (a) gamma spectrometry (b) radiochemical analysis Knowledge Transfer – Training Courses

 Gamma spectrometry  Alpha spectrometry  Radionuclide calibrators (2002)  Air monitoring(20 Sep 2001)  Liquid Scintillation(5 Sep 2001) Knowledge Transfer – User Fora

 Calibration & Testing of Portable Radiological Protection Monitors  Calibration & Testing of Installed Radiological Protection Monitors (in development)  Practical Radiation Monitoring (in development) Knowledge Transfer – Good Practice Guides