Iaea-sm-367/10/04/p Screening and Radiometric Measurement of Environmental Swipe Samples

Environmental swipe samples are taken by IAEA Safeguards inspectors inside nuclear installations such as enrichment facilities and facilities with hot cells. These samples are screened by radiometric methods before further processing in order to establish the identity and quantity of radioactive isotopes present. High resolution gamma spectrometry is used to measure the concentrations of fission and activation products in radioactive samples as a measure of the burn-up of the fuel handled in the inspected facility. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is applied to screen for uranium presence in low activity samples. Subsampling of swipes taken inside hot cells is also performed using adhesive carbon discs followed by alpha/beta counting. The sample preparation, measurement and data evaluation procedures are described and examples given of typical results.