ASTM E1893-97(2003)

Standard Guide for Selection and Use of Portable Radiological Survey Instruments for Performing In Situ Radiological Assessments in Support of Decommissioning

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
The purpose of this standard is to provide the user information and guidance for selecting and using instrumentation that will provide measurement results that can be compared to criteria for unrestricted use.
Use of this standard will provide greater assurance that the measurements obtained will be technically and administratively sufficient for making decisions regarding completion of decontamination and/or demolition/removal activities.
Use of this standard will provide greater assurance that the measurements obtained will be technically and administratively sufficient to meet all applicable regulatory requirements for unrestricted release of a component for recycle or reuse, or for unrestricted release of a remaining surface or area at the completion of decommissioning activities.
SCOPE
1.1 This standard provides recommendations on the selection and use of portable instrumentation that is responsive to levels of radiation that are close to natural background. These instruments are employed to detect the presence of residual radioactivity that is at, or below, the criteria for release from further regulatory control of a component to be salvaged or reused, or a surface remaining at the conclusion of decontamination and/or decommissioning.
1.2 The choice of these instruments, their operating characteristics and the protocols by which they are calibrated and used will provide adequate assurance that the measurements of the residual radioactivity meet the requirements established for release from further regulatory control.
1.3 This standard is applicable to the in situ measurement of radioactive emissions that include:
1.3.1 alpha
1.3.2 beta (electrons)
1.3.3 gamma
1.3.4 characteristic x-rays
1.3.5 The measurement of neutron emissions is not included as part of this standard.
1.4 This standard dose not address instrumentation used to assess residual radioactivity levels contained in air samples, surface contamination smears, bulk material removals, or half/whole body personnel monitors.
1.5 This standard does not address records retention requirements for calibration, maintenance, etc. as these topics are considered in several of the referenced documents.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Jun-1997
• ICS: 17.240 - Radiation measurements
• Technical Committee: E10 - Nuclear Technology and Applications
• Drafting Committee: E10.03 - Radiological Protection for Decontamination and Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities and Components

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1893-97 - Standard Guide for Selection and Use of Portable Radiological Survey Instruments for Performing In Situ Radiological Assessments in Support of Decommissioning
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997
• Replaced By: ASTM E1893-08 - Standard Guide for Selection and Use of Portable Radiological Survey Instruments for Performing In Situ Radiological Assessments to Support Unrestricted Release from Further Regulatory Controls
• Effective Date: 01-Jun-2008
• Referred By: ASTM E1760-16 - Standard Guide for Unrestricted Disposition of Bulk Materials Containing Residual Amounts of Radioactivity
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997
• Referred By: ASTM E1167-15(2021) - Standard Guide for Radiation Protection Program for Decommissioning Operations
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997
• Referred By: ASTM E2420-15(2021) - Standard Guide for Post-Deactivation Surveillance and Maintenance of Radiologically Contaminated Facilities
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997
• Referred By: ASTM E2216-02(2020) - Standard Guide for Evaluating Disposal Options for Concrete from Nuclear Facility Decommissioning
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997
• Referred By: ASTM E1281-15(2021) - Standard Guide for Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Plans
• Effective Date: 10-Jun-1997

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:E 1893–97 (Reapproved 2003)
Standard Guide for
Selection and Use of Portable Radiological Survey
Instruments for Performing In Situ Radiological
Assessments in Support of Decommissioning
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1893; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope and Analysis of Radionuclides
C 1215 Standard Guide for Preparing and Interpreting
1.1 This standard provides recommendations on the selec-
Precision and Bias Statements in Test Method Standards
tion and use of portable instrumentation that is responsive to
Used in the Nuclear Industry
levels of radiation that are close to natural background. These
2.2 ANSI Standards:
instruments are employed to detect the presence of residual
ANSI N323 Radiation Protection Instrumentation Test and
radioactivity that is at, or below, the criteria for release from
Calibration
further regulatory control of a component to be salvaged or
ANSI N15.5 Statistical Terminology and Notation for
reused, or a surface remaining at the conclusion of decontami-
Nuclear Materials Management
nation and/or decommissioning.
ANSI N42.17A Performance Specifications for Health
1.2 The choice of these instruments, their operating charac-
Physics Instrumentation-Portable Instrumentation for Use
teristics and the protocols by which they are calibrated and
in Normal Environmental Conditions
used will provide adequate assurance that the measurements of
ANSI N42.17C Performance Specifications for Health
the residual radioactivity meet the requirements established for
Physics Instrumentation-Portable Instrumentation for Use
release from further regulatory control.
in Extreme Environmental Conditions
1.3 This standard is applicable to the in situ measurement of
ANSI N42.3 Standard Test Procedure for Geiger Mueller
radioactive emissions that include:
Counters
1.3.1 alpha
2.3 National Council on Radiation Protection and Mea-
1.3.2 beta (electrons)
surements:
1.3.3 gamma
NCRP Report No. 57 Instrumentation and Monitoring
1.3.4 characteristic x-rays
Methods for Radiation Protection, National Council on
1.3.5 Themeasurementofneutronemissionsisnotincluded
Radiation Protection and Measurements, May 1978
as part of this standard.
NCRP Report No. 58 A Handbook of Radioactivity Mea-
1.4 This standard dose not address instrumentation used to
surement Procedures, National Council on Radiation Pro-
assess residual radioactivity levels contained in air samples,
tection and Measurements, 2nd Ed. February 1985
surface contamination smears, bulk material removals, or
NCRP Report No. 112 Calibration of Survey Instruments
half/whole body personnel monitors.
Used in Radiation Protection for the Assessment of
1.5 Thisstandarddoesnotaddressrecordsretentionrequire-
Ionizing Radiation Fields and Radioactive Surface Con-
ments for calibration, maintenance, etc. as these topics are
tamination, National Council on Radiation Protection and
considered in several of the referenced documents.
Measurements, December 1991
2. Referenced Documents 2.4 International Organization for Standardization (ISO):
ISO-4037 XandGammaReferenceRadiationsforCalibrat-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
ing Dosimeters and Dose-rate Meters and for Determining
E 170 Standard Terminology Relating to Radiation Mea-
their Response as a Function of Photon Energy, Interna-
surements and Dosimetry
tional Organization for Standardization, 1979
E 181 Standard General Methods for Detector Calibration
1 3
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E10 on Nuclear Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 12.01.
4 th
Technology and Applications and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13 Floor, New York,
E10.03 on Radiological Protection for Decontamination and Decommissioning of NY 10036
Nuclear Facilities and Components. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement, 7910 Wodmont
Current edition approved June 10, 1997. Published March 1998. Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814
2 6
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 12.02. AvailablefromANSISalesDepartment,1430Broadway,NewYork,NY10018
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 1893–97 (2003)
ISO-6980 Reference Beta Radiations for Calibrating Do- 3.1.8 Tranfer standard, n—a physical measurement stan-
simeters and Dose-rate Meters and for Determining Their dard that is calibrated by direct or indirect comparison to a
Response as a Function of Beta Radiation Energy, Inter- national standard and is typically a measurement instrument or
national Organization for Standardization, 1984 radiation source (ASTM E 170).
ISO-8769 Reference Sources for the Calibration of Surface
3.1.9 Accuracy, n—the degree of agreement of an indi-
Contamination Monitors – Beta Emitters (Maximum Beta
vidual measurement or average of measurements with an
Energy Greater than 0.15 MeV) and Alpha Emitters,
accepted reference value or level (ASTM E 170).
International Organization for Standardization, 1988
3.1.10 Precision,n—thedegreeofmutualagreementamong
ISO-7503–1 Evaluation of Surface Contamination - Part 1:
individual measurements (ASTM E 170).
Beta Emitters (Maximum Beta Energy Greater than 0.15
DISCUSSION—Relativetoatestmethod,precisionisthedegree
MeV) and Alpha Emitters, International Organization for
of mutual agreement among individual measurements made
Standardization, 1988
under prescribed like conditions. The imprecision of a mea-
ISO-7503–2 Evaluation of Surface Contamination - Part 2:
surement may be characterized as the standard deviation of
Tritium Surface Contamination, International Organiza-
errors of measurement.
tion for Standardization, 1988
3.1.11 Lower limit of detection, n—the smallest amount of a
ISO-7503–3 Evaluation of Surface Contamination - Part 3:
measured quantity that will produce a net signal above the
Isomeric Transition and Electron Capture Emitters, Low
system noise for a given measurement system or process that
Energy Beta Emitters (E <0.15 MeV), International
bmax
will result in an acceptable false positive rate if nothing is
Organization for Standardization, 1993 (draft)
present and that will be correctly interpreted as “real” with a
2.5 Department of Energy (DOE):
desired probability.
G-10CFR835/E1-Rev. 1 “Instrument Calibration for Por-
DISCUSSION—the usual acceptable error rates for in situ
table Survey Instruments,” Implementation Guide for Use
measurements are a false positive rate of 5% (Type I error) and
with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 835,
a false negative rate of 5% (Type II error).
November 1994.
3.1.12 Hot Spot, n—localized areas of elevated activity that
3. Terminology
are less than 100 cm in extent and exceed the applicable
average guideline value by greater than a factor of three.
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 Calibration, v—adjusting or determining the response
3.1.13 Minimum detectable activity (MDA), n—see lower
or reading of an instrument relative to a series of convention-
limit of detection (for purposes of this standard, MDA will be
ally true values for radiation sources (ANSI N323).
applied to the measurement of a point source or “hot spot”
3.1.2 Certified reference material, n—a material that has
detection).
been characterized by a recognized standard or testing labora-
3.1.14 Minimum surface sensitivity (MSS), n—see lower
tory for some of its chemical or physical or radiological
limit of detection (for purposes of this standard, MSS will be
properties, and that is generally used for calibration of a
applied to measurements of distributed activity, which will
measurement system or for development or evaluation of a
incorporate the detector area to enable direct comparison to
measurement method (ASTM E 170).
regulatory guidelines for surface activity).
3.1.3 Calibration source, n—as used in this standard guide,
3.1.15 Scan, n—the process whereby the surveyor moves
see certified reference material.
the probe over the area being surveyed in an attempt to locate
3.1.4 Check source, n—aradioactivesource,notnecessarily
areas with residual radioactivity.
calibrated, which is used to confirm the continuing satisfactory
DISCUSSION—the techniques of the scanning process will have
operation of an instrument (ANSI N323).
significant affect on the MSS. Important parameters include
3.1.5 Functional check, n—checks (often qualitative) to
scan speed, detector orientation, source-detector distance,
determine that an instrument is operational and capable of
scanned surface condition and the background response of the
performing its intended function (ANSI N323).
instrument.
DISCUSSION—such checks may include, for example, battery
3.1.16 Scaler, n—a digital electronic characteristic of a
check, high voltage check/adjustment, zero setting, audio
meter which counts the distinct number of input pulses within
settings, alarm settings, scale checks and check source and
a preset period of time.
background response.
3.1.17 Ratemeter, n—an analog or digital electronic char-
3.1.6 Traceability, n—the ability to demonstrate that a
acteristic of a meter which provides the number of pulses per
particular measurement instrument or artifact standard has
unit time.
been calibrated at acceptable time intervals against a national
3.1.18 Unrestricted release, n—the release of a material or
or international standard, or against a secondary standard
a surface area for use without further radiological controls.
which has been, in turn, calibrated against a national standard
or transfer standard (ASTM E 170). DISCUSSION—This occurs after the material or area has been
3.1.7 National standard, n—an artifact, such as a well- surveyed and the results of the survey show that residual
characterized instrument or radiation source, that embodies the radioactivity is below project specific release criteria. All
international definition of primary physical measurement stan- instrumentation and techniques used for this application must
dard for national use (ASTM E 170); see also certified refer- be capable of detecting radioactivity at levels below the release
ence material. criteria.
E 1893–97 (2003)
3.1.19 Control charts, n—A plot of the results of a quality 5.2.3 Documentation should be available that verifies that
control action to record and demonstrate that control is being the applicable specification requirements described in
maintained within expected statistical variation or to indicate ANSI N323 for the particular measurement conditions have
when control is or will be lost without intervention (DOE-G- beenmetfortheinstrumentselected;e.g.,minimumsensitivity,
10CFR835/E1). energy response, environmental response, etc.
DISCUSSION—This provides a method for tracking an instru-
5.3 Minimum Sensitivity (minimum detectable activity).
ment’s operation to demonstrate that data collected is within
The minimum sensitivity of the instrument selected should be
expected statistical variation and to ensure that potential
# 50 percent of the applicable release criteria to which the
failures and/or negative trends are identified early.
measurement results will be compared. (Appendix A provides
further information for determining this.)
4. Significance and Use
5.4 Energy Response.An instrument, selected for a particu-
4.1 The purpose of this standard is to provide the user
larresidualradionuclideparticleemission,shouldbecalibrated
information and guidance for selecting and using instrumenta-
for response to the energy of that emission. General guidance
tion that will provide measurement results that can be com-
for determining this is found in ANSI N323.
pared to criteria for unrestricted use.
5.4.1 Photon Energy Response. In addition to the general
4.2 Use of this standard will provide greater assurance that
provisions inANSI N323, descriptions of reference sources for
the measurements obtained will be technically and administra-
making the photon energy response determination are found in
tively sufficient for making decisions regarding completion of
ISO-4037.
decontamination and/or demolition/removal activities.
5.4.2 Beta Energy Response. In addition to the general
4.3 Use of this standard will provide greater assurance that
provisions inANSI N323, descriptions of reference sources for
the measurements obtained will be technically and administra-
making the beta energy response determination are found in
tively sufficient to meet all applicable regulatory requirements
ISO-6980 and ISO-8769.
for unrestricted release of a component for recycle or reuse, or
5.5 Surface Contamination Detection. Residual surface con-
for unrestricted release of a remaining surface or area at the
tamination should be evaluated using either alpha or beta
completion of decommissioning activities.
detectors. For performing “hot spot” location surveys, the
5. Instrument Selection detector shall be coupled to a ratemeter for performing
transient (scanning) surveys. For performing a residual activity
5.1 General:
(stationary) assessment, the probe may be coupled to either a
5.1.1 Criteria for release of materials for recycling, re-use,
ratemeter or a scaler (see Section 6.3.4).
or disposal, and of surfaces or areas remaining at the comple-
5.5.1 When performing scan surveys, the alpha or beta
tion of decommissioning activities are set by regulatory au-
probe window areas should be$ 100 cm .
thorities. For surface contamination and selected volumetri-
cally contaminated media, values provided by the Nuclear
NOTE 1—Smaller detector probes may be used to perform scan surveys
Regulatory Commission (NRC) have been generally applied to
where accessibility prevents utilization of larger probe sizes in accordance
licensed facilities, both NRC and Agreement State licenses
with scan requirements described in Section 6.4.1.
(1,2). The Department of Energy (DOE) applies standards that
5.5.2 When performing stationary assessments, the probe
are essentially equivalent to those provided by the NRC (3).
windowareashouldbe100cm 630%.RefertoAppendixX2
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NRC have
discussion on the effect of probe size on minimum detection.
developed criteria that are risk-based, resulting in radionuclide
and pathway specific release values that will be applied to
NOTE 2—The probe area that is to be used in any measurement
decommissioning activities. interpretationisthetotalwindowarea,nottheeffectiveopenwindowarea.
5.1.
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