There is an increasing push for the development and utilization of standard analytical methods for nuclear materials control and accountancy. There are clear benefits to this approach. Such methods can save the laboratory valuable time in developing and validating its own methods. Further, standard methods promote consistency of. and confidence in, results both within an individual laboratory and from one laboratory to another, regardless of where the labs are located around the world. ASTM International has developed and maintains over 80 standards for destructive analysis of nuclear materials, and ISO has developed a similar number. There is some overlap between the ASTM and ISO standards. In addition, ASTM International has developed 15 standards for non-destructive measurements. Due to the unique nature of the nuclear industry and unique operations at many nuclear facilities, standard methods are often not available or must be adapted. Nevertheless, even for unique methods, or adaptations of methods, at individual nuclear laboratories, these methods must still be fit for the intended purpose. ASTM International has developed a series of guides to assist with the determination of fitness for purpose, as well as for qualification of nuclear laboratory methods, quality assurance, measurement control, proper preparation and use of working reference materials, and qualification of analysts. This paper will provide a review of the standard methods and guides developed by ASTM International and ISO, as well as current activities in the respective ASTM and ISO committees. For example, in ASTM new standards are proposed or under development to standardize newer techniques for thermal ionization mass spectrometry and for analysis of plutonium materials. Also, a guide for total measurement uncertainty in non-destructive measurements is under development. Updates are also being developed for the quality assurance guide, ASTM C1009, and related nuclear material measurement guides.
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