DOELAP is DOE's program for ensuring the quality of radiation protection programs throughout the complex. Conducted for EH-52, it provides performance testing, and direct and indirect radiobioassay programs. Accreditation is required by 10CFR835.
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RESL administers and conducts performance testing of all DOE and DOE-contractor personnel (whole body and extremity) dosimetry programs. This is a rigorous quality assurance program which requires dosimetry facilities to demonstrate their capabilities both through laboratory tests and on-site inspections. The External DOELAP Team monitors the performance of participating laboratories measuring personnel doses from external radiation sources. It maintains a calibration laboratory, which is used to produce custom irradiation of personal whole body dosimeters. RESL's DOELAP team ensures that laboratories engaged in external dosimetry meet standards for accuracy, sensitivity, and precision. |
External DOELAP Radioactive Sources:
The DOE has initiated the development of an accreditation program for DOE and DOE
contractors that provide radiobioassay measurements to ensure that they are accurate and
consistent. The Draft Standard ANSI N13.30, "Performance Criteria for
Radiobioassay," is the standard used by the Internal DOELAP Team.
This team prepares and distributes synthetic urine, synthetic fecal samples,and Bottle
Mannequin Absorber (BOMAB) Phantoms (which simulates the whole body). The Internal DOELAP
Team has a human torso phantom with interchangeable organ phantoms. These samples along
with the BOMAB and organ phantoms contain known concentrations of selected radioisotopes.
DOE or DOE contractor laboratories are required to successfully measure theses
concentrations and pass an on-site assessment to be accredited.
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The basic premise behind MAPEP is to prepare and distribute performance evaluation
samples that contain known concentrations of radiological, inorganic, and organic
components in a single sample. There are many benefits to the addition of the three
components: The laboratory can participate in MAPEP to acquire information about their quality control from a sample containing more than one analyte type; the performance evaluation sample will be more representative of a sample taken from the environment or a hazardous waste site. |
RESL has the responsibility for development of this program and plays a crucial role in
the creation of these samples. The samples are distributed to participating
government-contractor laboratories who analyze the sample for the target components. The
results from the laboratory are compared to the NIST traceable value or the mean
concentration from the participating laboratories in the case of semi-volatile organics
and inorganics. The results are then used to verify that the participating laboratories
are using processes that allow for the detection and quantification for these analytes.
In conjunction with MAPEP, RESL offers an assessment/assistance program to assist
laboratories with technical problems and questions. The laboratory may request specific
information from a qualified scientist, invite a scientist to the laboratory, or request a
team of technical experts to help find a cause and propose a possible solution to any
technical problems. The emphasis of the Assessment Program is to be a customer-oriented
program which helps identify trouble spots, seek solutions, and to improve the credibility
and accuracy of the laboratories across the DOE-Complex.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has historically contracted with RESL to maintain NIST traceability for their confirmatory measurements program. RESL maintains direct traceability to NIST for this program. The Intercomparison/Capability Program further enhances the quality assurance of the NRC laboratories measurements. The Intercomparison Program consists of a RESL scientist preparing samples with NIST traceable radioactive standards in matrices such as: filters, swipes, or liquids for the NRC regional laboratories. The Capability samples are similarly prepared upon NRC's request and used as performance evaluation samples for the nuclear power utility laboratories in the United States.
RESL'S CORE ANALYTICAL FUNCTIONS
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