The Safeguards On-Site Laboratory at La HagueJune 2000 – June 2005: experience over five years of operation

摘要

In June 2000, hence eight years after the European Commission had taken the decision to buildrnsafeguards on-site laboratories at the site of the two main commercial European reprocessing plants,rnthe second EURATOM laboratory, the “Laboratoire Sur Site” (LSS) located at the site of COGEMArn(Areva group) at Cap de La Hague was inaugurated [1, 2]. The Institute for Transuranium Elementsrn(ITU) had installed and commissioned the analytical facilities and has performed the safeguardsrnanalyses taken in the plant. This work is carried out in the framework of EURATOM safeguards underrnthe responsibility of the Directorate General for Transport and Energy (DG TREN).rnThis paper summarizes five years of operational experience gained in the LSS. This descriptionrnincludes organizational aspects and technical features, covering aspects of laboratory management,rnsample handling, measurement quality and reference materials. The observations made during thisrnperiod and the changes introduced will be discussed. We will review the application of measurementrntechniques: on the one hand the radiometric instruments which are automated to be able to measure thernwhole throughput of samples and on the other hand the Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry (IDMS).rnTheir different roles and the performances reached will be highlighted. Furthermore, the differentrnanalytical problems ITU analysts had to face and the improvements implemented to reach thernchallenging target: performing accurate analysis for safeguards purposes on a timeliness basis.rnFinally, we will discuss logistical questions, aspects of interfacing with the operator and with therninspectors and the efficient use of resources.