Reference Materials and Proficiency Tests
Reference Materials (RM) and Proficiency Tests (PT) play a vital role in assuring the reliability and comparability of analytical data. This is needed not only to assist sustainable development in Member States, but also to prevent disagreements which could arise in the case of contradictory analytical data generated in different laboratories.
The Terrestrial Environment Laboratory assists Member States in this regard by:
- Producing and distributing Reference Materials, which fit the programmatic needs of Member States related to socio-economical, environmental, safety and regulatory aspects.
- Transferring Reference Material production know-how, which fulfils the specific socio-economical requirements of Member States at National and/or Regional levels.
- Supporting global radionuclide measurement systems, such as the network of Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA).
- Contributing to IAEA training programmes to satisfy Member State needs for individual on-the-job training, training courses and group fellowship training in the fields of the uses of Reference Materials in nuclear analytical techniques, and management of analytical Proficiency Tests and its role in quality assurance of nuclear analytical techniques.
- Updating and improving the methodology of Reference Material production and Proficiency Test organization in accordance with internationally agreed standards and to satisfy the Member States requirements.
More detailed information on IAEA Reference Materials and Proficiency Tests is available here.