An interlaboratory comparison for European radon calibration facilities was conducted to evaluate the establishment of a harmonized quality level for the activity concentration of radon in air and to demonstrate the performance of the facilities when calibrating measurement instruments for radon. Fifteen calibration facilities from 13 different European countries participated. They represented different levels in the metrological hierarchy: national metrology institutes and designated institutes, national authorities for radiation protection and participants from universities. The interlaboratory comparison was conducted by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) and took place from 2018 to 2020. Participants were requested to measure radon in atmospheres of their own facilities according to their own procedures and requirements for metrological traceability. A measurement device with suitable properties was used to determine the comparison values. The results of the comparison showed that the radon activity concentrations that were determined by European calibration facilities complying with metrological traceability requirements were consistent with each other and had common mean values. The deviations from these values were normally distributed. The range of variation of the common mean value was a measure of the degree of agreement between the participants. For exposures above 1000 Bq/m3, the variation was about 4% for a level of confidence of approximately 95% (k=2). For lower exposure levels, the variation increased to about 6%.
The practical implementation of the European Council Directive no. 2013/59/EURATOM in Romania requires reliable indoor measurements of the radon (222Rn) activity concentration in air. In Romania, several Testing Laboratories were designated for radon activity and/or radon activity concentration in air measurements by the Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN). The calibration of the instruments used for indoor radon activity concentration measurements is very important. IFIN-HH, through its Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory (LMRI), performed advanced research in the field of radon metrology, using radon standard sources prepared by LMRI, its radon chamber facility and a new reference radon monitor. The most recent results are described in this article. The radon chamber facility from IFIN-HH was technically improved, and new equipment and methods were set up and tested in order to provide new calibration services for customers. Additionally, calibration of the radon monitors was performed, as well as of the systems with solid-state nuclear track detectors, used for radon in air activity concentration measurements. IFIN-HH/LMRI obtained the CNCAN designation as Calibration Laboratory for installations measuring the radon activity concentration in air.
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