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A world class facility for the analysis of nuclear material

and e­ nvironmental samples

The IAEA Safeguards


Analytical Laboratory
The IAEA is responsible for verifying that nuclear Analytical ­chemistry, radiometric and mass ­spectro-
material held by Member States is not diverted from metric t­echniques are used to determine the elemental
peaceful purposes. The Safeguards Analytical
­ and isotopic composition of nuclear m ­ aterial and
Laboratory (SAL) at Seibersdorf, near Vienna, has ­environmental samples.
played a key role in the Agency’s verification activities
since 1976.
Strict quality assurance and quality control are
SAL provides accurate and timely analysis of nuclear essential for maintaining confidence in the results.
­
material and environmental samples. It is part of a External quality control is attained through SAL’s
Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL), which at participation in numerous interlaboratory comparison
present consists of 14 laboratories in eight IAEA programmes.
Member States.
SAL aims to keep pace with technological develop-
SAL provides extremely accurate and independent ments, and the use of sophisticated instruments,
measurements of the samples it receives from the including robots, is one area of special achievement.
IAEA’s safeguards inspectors. Strict confidentiality is Mechanical and electronic workshops, equipped with
maintained. Findings are reported promptly to help state-of-the-art computer hardware and software,
the Agency to determine whether States are ­complying assist the analysts in their work.
with their responsibility to ensure that nuclear ­material
is not diverted.
SAL staff provide comprehensive training for IAEA
SAL consists of two main parts — the Nuclear safeguards inspectors in taking samples of nuclear
Laboratory and the Clean Laboratory. The Nuclear material and shipping them carefully back to SAL.
Laboratory analyses nuclear material samples and Inspectors are briefed on the precautions they must
radioactive environmental s­amples. The Clean take in handling nuclear samples. Training is also
Laboratory screens all environmental samples provided for inspectors in taking environmental
­
­provided by IAEA s­ afeguards inspectors and a
­ nalyses ­samples, most of which are obtained from swipes of
approximately 20% of them by highly sophisticated equipment surfaces and building s­ tructures.
techniques.

The SAL complex at Seibersdorf is organized In partnership with the Japanese authorities, the
­physically into three areas: nuclear material samples; IAEA has established an on-site laboratory at the
environmental samples; and non-routine samples. Rokkasho-mura reprocessing facility.

The IAEA Safeguards Analytical Laboratory


Approx im a te ly 100 0 s a m p l e s
of n u clear m at e r ia l a n d o v e r
Environmental Samples
600 e n v iron m e n ta l s a m p l e s a re
recei v e d a n d a n a ly se d b y S A L
T h e I AE A st a r t e d it s e ­ nv ironme nt a l
every y e a r.
sa m p l ing progr a mme in t he e a r ly
1 9 9 0 s. SAL's Cle a n La bor a t or y is
a n   e xt e nsiv e c le a n room f­ a c ilit y for
t h e h a ndling of e nv ironme nt a l
sa m p l e s from inspe c t ions w or ldw ide .
I t i n c l ude s fa c ilit ie s for sa mple
sc re e ning a nd pre pa r a t ion of
e n v i ro nme nt a l sw ipe kit s for sa mple
c o l l e c tion, c he mic a l proc e ssing a nd
a n a l y sis.

Non-routine Samples

Non-routine samples are collected


Nuclear Material Samples by inspe c t or s from outs i de a
nuc le a r fa c ilit y ’s m ateri al bal ance
Nucle a r m a te r ial s a mp l e s c­ ollected a re a . Suc h sa mples m ay have
from all p oin t s of t h e n u c l e a r diffe re nt for ms a nd com pos i ti ons
mater ia l fu e l c y c le a re p ro c e s se d c ompa re d w it h re gul ar i ns pecti on
exclu s iv e ly in SAL 's Nu c l e a r sa mple s a nd oft e n requi re
L ab or at or y, w h ic h h a s b e e n i n ­s pe c ia l ha ndling a nd anal yti cal
op erat ion for m ore t h a n 3 0   y e a r s. proc e ssing.

Saf egu ards Samplin g


an d Test in g
A k e y e le me nt of t he sa fe gua rds
sy st e m is t he phy sic a l inspe c t ion of
n u c l e a r inst a lla t ions by I AE A inspe c -
t o r s . Among ot he r v e r ific a t ion me a -
su re s, I AE A inspe c t or s ma y re que st
n u c l e a r ma t e r ia l sa mple s from v a r i-
o u s me a sure me nt point s of t he fue l
c y c l e . Ac c ur a t e de st r uc t iv e a na ly se s International Atomic Energy Agency
o f t h e se sa mple s a re a n e sse nt ia l
e l e me nt t o v e r ify t ha t fa c ilit ie s me e t Information Series
t h e st ringe nt re quire me nt s of nuc le a r Division of Public Information
Th e Mas s S p e c tro m e t r y ma t e r i a l a c c ount ing, t ha t a ll nuc le a r 07-33201 / FS Series 1/05/E
­L aboratories determine the i­sotopic ma t e r i a l ha s be e n c or re c t ly de c la re d
compos it ion of s am p l e s a t t h e a n d t ha t no div e r sion ha s oc c ur re d.
n an ogr am a n d e v e n f e m t o g r a m A ne w re proc e ssing pl ant at
(10–15 g) leve ls . R okka sho- mur a , Japan, s tarted
a c t iv e c ommissioni ng and wi l l
Hig h ly s en s itiv e s e c o n d a r y i o n re quire v e r ific a t ion of l arge
mass s p ect rom e tr y a l l o ws S A L t o a mount s of proc e s s ed reactor
d raw s p at ia l im age s o f e n r i c h me n t . ­p lut onium.

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