Acceptance Criteria for the Analytical Performance of Radionuclide Laboratories

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty calls for certified Radionuclide Laboratories to support the International Monitoring System (IMS) with more detailed analysis of filter samples from the network of radionuclide monitoring stations. Various requirements concerning quality systems and specific technical requirements have to be implemented at the Radionuclide Laboratories (CTBT/PTS/INF.96/Rev1). At the Informal Radionuclide Workshop in Aldermaston UK (January 2001) the delegates agreed that participation in itnercomparison exercises, organized by the PTS, should be an obligation for the process and the ongoing performance of a Laboratory. To allow an evaluation of the performance of the Radionuclide Laboratories a metric measuring overall analytical performance needs to be considered. The objective of this paper is to introduce a structure of acceptance criteria proposed by different Radionuclide Laboratories, to build a basis for further discussions. The calculations and criteria's are based on the discussions during previous meetings and on the expertise opinion of various scientists.