Intercomparison exercise of calibration facilities for radon gas activity concentration

摘要

International intercalibration and intercomparison exercises are used as an important tool to provide confidence in the capability of national metrology institutes and calibration laboratories. The quality systems of national institutes provide the basis for running intercomparisons, in our case, in the field of the radon activity concentration in air. Interchange of an electronic radon measuring instrument (intercomparison device) which demonstrated ruggedness during shipping in the past, was considered a convenient means for a relative comparison of radon reference atmospheres. 9 institutes from 7 countries calibrated the intercomparison device according to their quality system at three different activity concentrations: 1 kBqm~(-3), 3 kBqm~(-3) and 10 kBqm~(-3). The results agreed within 5%, mainly. This is the first step in establishing this intercomparison of the radon activity concentration within the scope of Eu-romet and reaching the quality of a BIPM (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures) key comparison later.