Slovenian-Romanian bilateral intercomparison on tritium samples

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Accurate determination of tritium in environmental samples is crucial for radioactivity monitoring.
• Interlaboratory comparisons are essential for validating measurement techniques and ensuring data comparability.
• The Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) in Slovenia and the National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies (ICIT) in Romania are key participants in environmental radioactivity research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct bilateral intercomparisons of tritium determination in environmental samples between JSI and ICIT.
• To compare and validate the measurement and analysis methods employed by both laboratories.
• To ensure the comparability and traceability of tritium measurement results.

Main Methods:

• Bilateral intercomparison of tritium determination in various environmental sample matrices.
• Comparative analysis of measurement and analytical methodologies used by participating laboratories.
• Validation against results from international radioactivity proficiency test exercises (IAEA, NPL).

Main Results:

• Successful intercomparison demonstrating agreement between JSI and ICIT tritium determination methods.
• Confirmation of measurement comparability and traceability through participation in international proficiency tests.
• Identification of areas for methodological refinement leading to enhanced precision.

Conclusions:

• The bilateral intercomparison successfully harmonized tritium determination protocols between the Slovenian and Romanian laboratories.
• The study confirmed the reliability and traceability of low-level tritium measurements in environmental samples.
• New knowledge gained will contribute to more precise and harmonized environmental radioactivity monitoring.