title: Results of a European interlaboratory comparison on gross alpha/beta activity determination in drinking water.
abstract: An interlaboratory comparison was organised by JRC-IRMM among environmental radioactivity monitoring laboratories for the determination of gross alpha/beta activity concentration in drinking water. Independent standard methods were used for the reference value determination. The performance of participating laboratories was evaluated with respect to the reference values using relative deviations. Sample preparation and measurement methods used by the participating laboratories are detailed, in particular in the view of method-dependency of the results. Many of the participants' results deviate by more than two orders of magnitude from the reference values regardless of the techniques used. This suggests that gross methods need revision.
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium ; Waste and Disposal Expert Group, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jobbágy
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merešová
authors.affiliation: Low Level Radioactivity Measurements Expert Group, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Radiation Research, RIVM, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kwakman
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Timotheos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Altzitzoglou
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rožkov
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hult
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Emteborg
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM), European Commission, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium ; Kievermondeveld 74, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wätjen
keywords: Drinking water; Environmental radioactivity; Gross alpha/beta activity; Interlaboratory comparison