1. DOE Radiological and Environmental
U.S. Department of Energy Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory
Anita Bhatt
Shane Steidley
DOE Radiological and Environmental
Sciences Laboratory
ASP Meeting 2016
Sept. 19, 2016

2. MAPEP Program Description
Assures the quality, accuracy and defensibility of environmental analytical measurements.
Ensures valid analytical data which is critical to worker and environmental protection for minimizing DOE’s liability and risk
Evaluates analytical work based on performance.
Addresses specific analytical issues routinely encountered that affect the accuracy of the results.
Tests the accuracy of analytical procedures on a variety of real samples being submitted to DOE for analysis.

3. MAPEP Programmatic Updates
Ongoing funding efforts to sustain current program and manage inflationary cost growth
Suspension or elimination of participants and selected PT matrices
Technical Highlights for 2016

4. Budgetary Impacts to MAPEP
Suspension of the following PT areas:
International Participation
Organic PT (OrW and OrS)
Gross alpha/beta (GrW and GrF)
Sr-89/90 Air Filter
No special request PT samples
No remedial samples related to Priority 1 findings
Must wait for the next MAPEP test session

5. Technical Highlights 2016

6. MAPEP Series 34 & 35 by the Numbers
MAPEP Test Session
Series 34
Series 35
Dates Shipped
March 2016
Sept. 2016
Laboratories Participating
127 79
Domestic 85
International 42  0
Proficiency Testing Standards Shipped
664
336

7. Lost International Participation
Lab Name
Country
Health Services Support Agency, Forensic Sci. Services
AUSTRALIA
ZVD Institute of Occupational Safety
SLOVENIA
International Atomic Energy Agency
AUSTRIA
RadioAnalysis, South Africa Nuclear Energy Corp.
SOUTH AFRICA
Supreme Council for Environment
BAHRAIN
CIEMAT-(Radiation Protection Laboratory)
SPAIN
Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria - IRD/CNEN
BRAZIL
Departamento Ingeniería Nuclear y Mecánica de Fluidos
Health Canada Radiation Protection Bureau
CANADA
Laboratori de Radiologia Ambiental-Universitat de Barcelona
Radiation Protection Bureau RSD NMS
LARUEX Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory
Radiation Protection Service
Radiactividad Ambiental y Vigilancia Radiologica
Radiation and ICP-Plasma Laboratories
EGYPT
University of La Laguna FISICA Medica
Soreq NRC
ISRAEL
Lab Radiactividad Ambiental. Univ. Politecnica Valencia
Chemical and Physical Analysis Laboratories Directorate
JORDAN
Tunisia- Radioanalytical Laboratory
TUNISIA
Research Laboratories and Information Directorate
Istanbul University, Faculty of Science, Radioecology Laboratory
TURKEY
Royal Scientific Society, Environmental Instrumental Analysis Laboratory
NAS Radiochemistry Group UK
Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards
Energy and Mineral Regulatory Commission
Chemistry Support Services
Laboratories and Quality Affairs Jordan
Environmental Scientifics Group
Royal Scientific Society - Radiation Protection Lab
UniTech Services Group, Ltd
Ministry Of Health,Radiation Protection Department Lab
KUWAIT
PHE, CRCE Scotland
Physics Department Radiological Lab
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission - Environmental Radiation
LEBANON
LGC Ltd
Asia Lab (M) Sdn. Bhd.
MALAYSIA
Public Health England
National Center for Nuclear Energy, Sciences and Techniques
MOROCCO
Materials Assessment and Health Physics Group
UniTech Services B.V.
NETHERLANDS
National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
Environmental Radioactivity - National Centre for Radiation Science
NEW ZEALAND
Cavendish Nuclear Limited
Foods and Water Laboratories Center
OMAN
AMEC Foster Wheeler - Analytical Services
Arab Center for Engineering Studies
QATAR
Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council-Central Testing Lab
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Qatar University- Nuclear Physics Lab
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp (ENEC) Environmental Radiochemistry Lab
Babcock Marine (Rosyth) Ltd.
SCOTLAND

8. Even Uranium Forms Insoluble Compounds

9. Technical Assistance
MAPEP provided technical assistance with sample dissolution techniques.
U-234 Bias

10. MaS33 Pu-239/240

11. Sr-89/90 Air Filter
Activity Ratio Sr-89/90
SrF31 12
SrF32 45
SrF33 4

12. MaW34 Ra-226
13 Not Acceptable
19 Acceptable

13. MaW34 Ra-226 by Gamma & Alpha Spectrometry

14. Special Radiological Matrix XrM for Series 33 & 34
Non punitive, promote increased scientific capability, …
Undisclosed sample matrix and radionuclides.
Results are only evaluated based on bias from the known.
Acceptance flags are not assigned to the results.
To test analytical capabilities.

15. Special Radiological Matrix (XrM)
Full ‘suite’ of nuclides
Real World Matrices
Concrete
Asphalt

16. XrM Reporting Summary 127 Total MAPEP Laboratory’s
Perceived demand for special material?
Only 28% participation?
Only 10 laboratory’s reported alpha emitters?
Poor capability or lack of interest?

17. XrM33 Ir-192 Cement
Labs

18. XrM33 Cm-244 Cement

19. XrM34 Uranium-234 Asphalt

20. XrM34 Plutonium-239 Asphalt

21. XrM34 Ra-226 by Gamma Spectrometry

22. Co-57 False Positive Testing Eu-152 & Se-75 Interferences

23. Co-57 vs. Eu-152

24. Co-57 vs. Se-75

25. Assessing Analytical Laboratory Performance
NIST Traceable Standards – Performance Based
Internal and External
Chemical Methods
Dissolution of Insoluble and Refractory Compounds
Proper Use of Tracers and Internal Standards
Personnel
Knowledge and Ability
Technique / Subtleties to the Chemical Procedure

26. Duplicate Samples Should Never be Used to Evaluate Laboratory Performance

27. Duplicate Samples Should Never be Used to Evaluate Laboratory Performance

28. DOE Expects Quality Results
“High bias to the Pu-239/240 results are expected”
“Attempts to remove this Po-210 interference on these samples in the past have been unsuccessful. Thus, the results are submitted without further qualifications.”

29. Summary
MAPEP continues to identify and solve analytical/laboratory problems that are otherwise difficult to recognize before they become a DOE liability.
Tests the accuracy and reliability of analytical procedures on a variety of real samples being submitted to DOE for analysis.
Addresses specific analytical issues routinely encountered that affect the accuracy of the results.
MAPEP is a federal oversite program that is critical in assuring consistent and reliable laboratory data.

30. Websites and Contact Information
RESL:
MAPEP:
Anita R. Bhatt, RESL Director: ,
David Sill, Sr. Technical Manager Chemistry: ,
Guy Marlette, MAPEP Coordinator: ,