Experience gained through intercomparison of long-lived radionuclide measurements on marine environmental matrices

Abstract

Within the last five years the International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco has organized seven intercomparison exercises worldwide on natural materials of marine origin comprising sea water (SW-N-2), sediment (SD-N-1/1, SD-N-1/2, SD-N-2), seaweed (AG-B-1) and fish flesh (MA-B-3/1, MA-B-3/2). Results on man-made (⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁰Co,⁶⁵Zn,⁹⁰Sr,⁹⁹Tc,¹³⁴Cs,¹³⁷Cs,²³⁸Pu,^239,240Pu,²⁴¹Am) and natural radionuclides were collected and evaluated. Reference values were established for a number of them. In the paper are discussed various aspects of the intercomparison exercises.