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RadChem MAP meeting (longish)



The following should be of interest to those doing low level
radiochemistry procedures (environmental, bioassay, air sampling, etc) and
interested in showing traceability to NIST.
Be aware: I am told that the current annual fee for participation in this
program is $10,000 so this program is for serious players [at least from
the perspective of my budget, I suspect we have some high rollers in this
group :) ].

          NIST Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program
                      Semi-annual Meeting
                        24-26 March 1998
                                
                              NIST
         Ionizing Radiation Building (245), Room C301. 
                      Gaithersburg, MD 20899
Invitation list:    Commercial laboratories; DOE contractors 
                    (e.g., Westinghouse WIPP, Argonne National
                    Laboratory, Savannah River); DOE laboratories
                    - RESL & EML; independant laboratories
                    (Auburn University, New Mexico State
                    University, New Mexico Institute of
                    Technology) international reference
                    laboratories; government agencies DOE, EPA,
                    and NRC.

The NIST Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program (NRIP) was
established a year ago to provide participating laboratories with an
independent means of evaluating their low-level radionuclide measurements
with well characterized test samples.  This Program is for the low-level
radiochemistry sector to address
traceability testing issues raised by draft ANSI standard N42.23
(Measurement and Associated Instrumentation Quality Assurance for
Radioassay Laboratories), Multi-Agency Radiological LAboratory Procedures
manual (MARLAP), National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation
Conference (NELAC), radiobioassay DOELAP and ANSI standard N13.30
(Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay).   The objectives of the Program
include:

     Testing measurement traceability of radiochemistry
     laboratories to the national radioactivity standards;
     Evaluating performance evaluation material providers;
     Evaluating and improving low-level radiochemical methods;
     Establishing traceability of Secondary Reference
     Laboratories;
     Providing a national basis for low-level radiation
     instrument calibrations; and
     Reducing redundancy in measurement assessments

Issues to be addressed during this workshop include:

     Current Program
          Summary of  98 Results
          Protocols for data re-submission
          Radioanalytical Methods
          .    Digestions/separations
          .    Chemical Yield
          .    Procedure Streamlining
          .    Uncertainties
          Electronic Reports - platform and format
          TPU and propagation

     Proposed Criteria
          Traceability Criteria;
          Reference Laboratory Criteria

     Future Directions
          Future Traceability Programs
          Accreditation

PROGRAM:

  24 March 1998

8:30 a.m. First Group Leaves from Courtyard Marriott for NIST

8:45 a.m. Van pick-up at Courtyard Marriott

9:00 a.m. Welcome                Dr. Katharine Gebbie 
                                 Director Physics Laboratory

9:15 a.m. Agenda and Objectives  Kenneth Inn
          Current Programs                             

9:30 a.m. Summary of  98 First Round Testing Results     Mike Schultz

9:50 a.m. Discussion:  Protocol for Data Re-submission   Mike Schultz

10:30 a.m.     Analytical Methods                        Mark Marcus
          .    Digestions/separations                       NRIP
               Participants
          .    Chemical Yield
          .    Procedure Streamlining
          .    Uncertainties

11:15 a.m.     Break

11:30 a.m.     Analytical Methods (Con't)

12:30 p.m.     Lunch; Van to Restaurant

2:00 p.m. Fundamentals of Actinide Chemical Separations    Kerry Burns,
IAEA 2:30 p.m. Round Table on Analytical Methods                 Steve
Bakhtiar
          .    Digestion/Separations

3:15 p.m. .    Chemical Yield                          Steve Bakhtiar

4:15 p.m. Break

4:30 p.m. Round Table on Analytical Methods            Steve Bakhtiar
          .    Streamlining Procedures

5:15 p.m. Electronic Reports - platform and format,
          no/resubmitted results        Mike Schultz

6:15 p.m. Adjourn
6:25 p.m. Van to Hotel
7:00 p.m. Van to Country Buffet

25 March 19978

8:30 a.m. First Group Leaves from Courtyard Marriott for NIST 8:45 a.m.
Van to NIST

9:00 a.m. Uncertainties Components, TPU and ANSI N42.22's Methodology   
Dan Montgomery

9:30 a.m. Implementation of ANSI N42.22 TPU Methodology        Mike
Schultz

10:00 a.m. Open Discussion on Consensus Method of Calculating TPU

11:00 a.m.     Break

          Proposed Criteria                                 Don Gray

11:15 a.m.  Summary of Traceability Testing Criteria Working Group  
Rebecca Failor

11:35 a.m.     Draft Traceability Testing Criteria for DOE/EM        Stan
Morton

11:55 a.m.     Real and Synthetic Urine as PT Matrices: Issues       Jed
Payne

12:15 p.m.     Nuclear Power needs                                   Ian
Ramsay         

12:35 p.m.     Lunch; Van to Restaurant

2:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion on Traceability Testing Criteria
          New Directions                                           
Richard Farrell

3:00 p.m. Future Traceability Programs                              Dave
McCurdy

3:30 p.m. Radiobioassay DOELAP                                      Bob
Loesch

4:00 p.m. NVLAP Accreditation                                    C.
Douglas Faison

4:30 p.m. Break

4:45 p.m. Accreditation Roundtable                          Richard
Farrell

5:45 p.m. Adjourn
6:00 p.m. Van to Hotel
6:30 p.m. Van to Restaurant

26 March 1998

8:30 a.m. First Group Leaves from Courtyard Marriott for NIST

8:45 a.m. Van to NIST

9:00 a.m. Traceability Committee, Accreditation Committee, NRIP
          Committee Meetings 
               Issues
               Discussion
               Roundtable
               Action Items

12:00 noon     Adjourn
12:15 p.m.     Van to Hotel and Restaurant


CO-SPONSORS:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of
the Commerce Department's Technology Administration.  The NIST Ionizing
Radiation Division, Radioactivity Group, is participating in the NRIP
effort under its Radiochemistry Quality Assurance Program.

The Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards
(CIRMS), drawing together the diverse academic, professional and
industrial communities,  is a forum for discussions on public matters and
current measurement and standard issues concerning ionizing radiation. 
The CIRMS Public and Environmental Radiation Protection Sub-committee is
participating in the workshop to coordinate and promote low-level
radiochemistry quality assurance.

LOCATION: The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Ionizing
Radiation Building (245), Room C301, Gaithersburg, Maryland.  Gaithersburg
is approximately 25 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.

REGISTRATION FEES: None.

ACCOMMODATIONS: A block of rooms has been reserved under "NRIP" at the
Gaithersburg Couryard Marriott, (301) 670-0008, fax 301 948-4538. The room
rate is $86, single or double, plus 12% tax.  To register for a room,
please call or fax the hotel directly no later than Monday, 9 March 1998. 
After that date, the rooms will be released as available for sale at the
prevailing rates of the hotel.

TRANSPORTATION: 

AIRPORTS: Three airports service the general Washington, D.C. area -
National (D.C.), Dulles (VA) and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI
in MD) Airports.  All are approximately 25 miles from NIST.  American Taxi
Driver (301-351-7015) non-rush hour rates between NIST and National
Airport is $30, NIST and Dulles Airport is $30, and NIST and BWI is $40.

TO REACH NIST BY PUBLIC SHUTTLE:  BWI Super Shuttle, (301) 369-0009,
offers commercial van service from Baltimore-Washington International
Airport to the Gaithersburg area.  Crystal Airport Shuttle, 1-800-872-2797
or (301) 972-2222, is available from
Dulles International and Washington National Airports to
Gaithersburg.  Call for reservations.

TO REACH NIST BY AUTOMOBILE:

     Northbound I-270: take Exit 10, Rt. 117 West, Clopper Road. 
     At the first light on Clopper Road, turn left into the front
     entrance of the NIST grounds.

     Southbound I-270: take Exit 11B, Rt. 124 West, Quince
     Orchard Road.  At the second light turn left onto Clopper
     Road.  At the next light, turn right into the front entrance
     of the NIST grounds.

     To reach the Ionizing Radiation Building (245), turn right
     after entering the front entrance of the NIST grounds and
     passing the guard office. Turn left on West Drive and
     proceed to the end of the street.  Turn left on South Drive
     and go through the first intersection.  The Ionizing
     Radiation Building will be the first building on your right.

TO REACH HOTEL BY AUTOMOBILE: from Washington, D.C. on northbound I-270,
take Exit 11, Rt. 124 East, Montgomery Village Avenue.  At the third
traffic light (fire station), turn left.  The Courtyard Marriott will be
on your right at 805 Russell Avenue,
Gaithersburg, MD 20879.

TO REACH NIST OR HOTEL BY METRO FROM NATIONAL AIRPORT: Take the Yellow
Line to Gallery Place.  Transfer to Red Line to Shady Grove.  At Shady
Grove, take taxi to NIST or Gaithersburg Couryard Marriott.

Limited transportation will be provided between the Courtyard Marriott and
NIST.  Please contact Kenneth G.W. Inn (301-975-5541) for local
transportation arrangements.

REGISTRATION AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION:  Mike Schultz,
michael.schultz@nist.gov, 301-975-4336; Kenneth G.W. Inn, 301-975-5541,
Fax: (301) 869-7682, kenneth.inn@nist.gov.

-- 
the above are the personal musing of the author,
and do not represent any past, current, or future
position of NIST, the U.S. Government, or anyone else
who might think that they are in a position of authority.
NBSR Health Physics
NIST
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
301 975-5810
-----------------------------------------------------------
Lester.Slaback@nist.gov
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