NUREG-1576
                                            EPA402-B-04-001C
                                           NTIS PB2004-105421
         Multi-Agency Radiological
Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual
                   (MARLAP)
               Part II:  Chapters 18-20
                     Appendix G
                     (Volume III)
         United States Environmental Protection Agency
             United States Department of Defense
              United States Department of Energy
         United States Department of Homeland Security
          United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
           United States Food and Drug Administration
               United States Geological Survey
         National Institute of Standards and Technology
                        July 2004

-------
                                     Disclaimer
References within this manual to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade
name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily imply its endorsement or
recommendation by the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor
any agency or branch thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or
implied, nor assumes any legal liability of responsibility for any third party's use, or the results
of such use, of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this manual, nor
represents that its use by such third party would not infringe on privately owned rights.

-------
                                 FOREWORD
MARLAP is organized into two parts. Part I, consisting of Chapters 1 through 9, is intended
primarily for project planners and managers. Part I introduces the directed planning process
central to MARLAP and provides guidance on project planning with emphasis on radioanalytical
planning issues and radioanalytical data requirements. Part n, consisting of Chapters 10 through
20, is intended primarily for laboratory personnel and provides guidance in the relevant areas of
radioanalytical laboratory work. In addition, MARLAP contains seven appendices—labeled A
through G—that provide complementary information, detail background information, or concepts
pertinent to more than one chapter. Six chapters and one appendix are immediately followed by
one or more attachments that the authors believe will provide additional or more detailed
explanations of concepts discussed within the chapter. Attachments to chapters have letter
designators (e.g, Attachment "6A" or "3B"), while attachments to appendices are numbered (e.g.,
"Bl").  Thus, "Section B.I.I" refers to section 1.1 of appendix B, while "Section B 1.1" refers to
section 1 of attachment 1 to appendix B. Cross-references within the text are explicit in order to
avoid confusion.

Because of its length, the printed version of MARLAP is bound in three volumes. Volume I
(Chapters 1 through 9 and Appendices A through E) contains Part I. Because of its length, Part II
is split between Volumes II and III. Volume II (Chapters 10 through  17 and Appendix F) covers
most of the activities performed at radioanalytical laboratories, from field and sampling issues
that affect laboratory measurements through waste management. Volume III (Chapters 18
through 20  and Appendix G) covers laboratory quality control, measurement uncertainty and
detection and quantification capability. Each volume includes a table of contents, list of
acronyms and abbreviations, and a complete glossary of terms.

MARLAP and its periodic revisions are available online at www.epa.gov/radiation/marlap and
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/srl576/. The online version  is updated
periodically and may differ from the last printed version. Although references to material found
on a web site bear the date the material was accessed, the material available on the date cited may
subsequently be removed from the site. Printed and CD-ROM versions of MARLAP are
available through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS may be accessed
online at www.ntis.gov. The NTIS Sales Desk can  be reached between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday at 1-800-553-6847; TDD (hearing impaired only) at 703-
487-4639 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m Eastern Time, Monday through Friday;  or fax at 703-
605-6900.

MARLAP is a living document, and future editions are already under consideration. Users are
urged to provide feedback on how MARLAP can be improved. While suggestions  may not
always be acknowledged or adopted, commentors may be assured that they will  be considered
carefully. Comments may be submitted electronically through a link on EPA's MARLAP web
site (www.epa.gov/radiation/marlap).

JULY 2004                                  III                                   MARLAP

-------

-------
                       CONTENTS (VOLUME III)

                                                                                  Page

List of Figures  	XI

List of Tables	  XII

Acronyms and Abbreviations	XIII

Unit Conversion Factors 	XXI

18 Laboratory Quality Control  	18-1
   18.1   Introduction 	18-1
       18.1.1 Organization of Chapter	18-2
       18.1.2 Format 	18-2
   18.2   Quality Control  	18-3
   18.3   Evaluation of Performance Indicators	18-3
       18.3.1 Importance of Evaluating Performance Indicators	18-3
       18.3.2 Statistical Means of Evaluating Performance Indicators — Control Charts .. 18-5
       18.3.3 Tolerance Limits  	18-7
       18.3.4 Measurement Uncertainty  	18-8
   18.4   Radiochemistry Performance Indicators  	18-9
       18.4.1 Method and Reagent Blank	18-9
       18.4.2 Laboratory Replicates 	18-13
       18.4.3 Laboratory Control Samples, Matrix Spikes, and Matrix Spike Duplicates . 18-16
       18.4.4 Certified Reference Materials 	18-18
       18.4.5 Chemical/Tracer Yield	18-21
   18.5   Instrumentation Performance Indicators  	18-24
       18.5.1 Instrument Background Measurements	18-24
       18.5.2 Efficiency Calibrations  	18-26
       18.5.3 Spectrometry Systems 	18-29
          18.5.3.1   Energy Calibrations	18-29
          18.5.3.2   Peak Resolution and Tailing  	18-32
       18.5.4 Gas Proportional Systems  	18-36
          18.5.4.1   Voltage Plateaus	18-36
          18.5.4.2   Self-Absorption, Backscatter, and Crosstalk  	18-37
       18.5.5 Liquid Scintillation  	18-38
       18.5.6 Summary Guidance on Instrument Calibration, Background,
          and Quality Control  	18-40
          18.5.6.1   Gas Proportional Counting Systems 	18-42
          18.5.6.2   Gamma-Ray Detectors and Spectrometry Systems	18-45
          18.5.6.3   Alpha Detector and Spectrometry Systems	18-49

JULY 2004                                  V                                   MARLAP

-------
Contents
                                                                                   age
          18.5.6.4   Liquid Scintillation Systems 	18-51
       18.5.7 Non-Nuclear Instrumentation  	18-53
    18.6   Related Concerns	18-54
       18.6.1 Detection Capability  	18-54
       18.6.2 Radioactive Equilibrium  	18-54
       18.6.3 Half-Life	18-57
       18.6.4 Interferences	18-58
       18.6.5 Negative Results  	18-60
       18.6.6  Blind Samples	18-61
       18.6.7 Calibration of Apparatus Used for Mass and Volume Measurements	18-63
    18.7   References  	18-65
       18.7.1 Cited Sources	18-65
       18.7.2 Other Sources	18-67
    Attachment ISA: Control Charts	18-69
       ISA. 1 Introduction 	18-69
       18A.2 JTCharts	18-69
       18A.3 X Charts	18-72
       18A.4 R Charts	18-74
       18A.5 Control Charts for Instrument Response	18-75
       18A.6 References 	18-79
    Attachment 18B: Statistical Tests for QC Results	18-81
       18B. 1 Introduction 	18-81
       18B.2 Tests for Excess Variance in the Instrument Response	18-81
       18B.3 Instrument Background Measurements	18-88
          18B.3.1   Detection of Background Variability	18-88
          18B.3.2   Comparing a Single Observation to Preset Limits	18-90
          18B.3.3   Comparing the Results of Consecutive Measurements	18-93
       18B.4 Negative Activities	18-96
       18B.5 References 	18-96

19  Measurement Uncertainty  	19-1
    19.1   Overview	19-1
    19.2   The Need for Uncertainty Evaluation 	19-1
    19.3   Evaluating and Expressing Measurement Uncertainty  	19-3
       19.3.1 Measurement, Error, and Uncertainty  	19-3
       19.3.2 The Measurement Process	19-4
       19.3.3 Analysis of Measurement Uncertainty	19-6
       19.3.4 Corrections for  Systematic Effects	19-7
       19.3.5 Counting Uncertainty	19-7


MARLAP                                  VI                                 JULY 2004

-------
	Contents

                                                                                   Page

       19.3.6 Expanded Uncertainty  	19-7
       19.3.7 Significant Figures	19-8
       19.3.8 Reporting the Measurement Uncertainty	19-9
       19.3.9 Recommendations 	19-10
    19.4   Procedures for Evaluating Uncertainty  	19-11
       19.4.1 Identifying Sources of Uncertainty  	19-12
       19.4.2 Evaluation of Standard Uncertainties  	19-13
          19.4.2.1 Type A Evaluations	19-13
          19.4.2.2 Type B Evaluations	19-16
       19.4.3 Combined Standard Uncertainty  	19-20
          19.4.3.1 Uncertainty Propagation Formula	19-20
          19.4.3.2 Components of Uncertainty  	19-24
          19.4.3.3 Special Forms of the Uncertainty Propagation Formula	19-25
       19.4.4 The Estimated Covariance of Two Output Estimates 	19-26
       19.4.5 Special Considerations for Nonlinear Models	19-29
          19.4.5.1 Uncertainty Propagation for Nonlinear Models 	19-29
          19.4.5.2 Bias due to Nonlinearity	19-31
       19.4.6 Monte Carlo Methods	19-34
    19.5   Radiation Measurement Uncertainty	19-34
       19.5.1 Radioactive Decay	19-34
       19.5.2 Radiation Counting 	19-35
          19.5.2.1 Binomial Model  	19-35
          19.5.2.2 Poisson Approximation	19-36
       19.5.3 Count Time and Count Rate  	19-38
          19.5.3.1 Dead Time	19-39
          19.5.3.2 A Confidence Interval for the Count Rate  	19-40
       19.5.4 Instrument Background 	19-41
       19.5.5 Radiochemical Blanks	19-42
       19.5.6 Counting Efficiency	19-43
       19.5.7 Radionuclide Half-Life  	19-47
       19.5.8 Gamma-Ray Spectrometry	19-48
       19.5.9 Balances	19-48
       19.5.10 Pipets and Other Volumetric Apparatus 	19-52
       19.5.11 Digital Displays and Rounding  	19-54
       19.5.12 Subsampling	19-55
       19.5.13 The Standard Uncertainty for a Hypothetical Measurement	19-56
    19.6   References 	19-58
       19.6.1 Cited Sources	19-58
       19.6.2 Other Sources	19-61
    Attachment 19A: Statistical Concepts and Terms	19-63

JULY 2004                                 VII                                  MARLAP

-------
Contents
                                                                                  age
       19A. 1 Basic Concepts	19-63
       19A.2 Probability Distributions 	19-66
          19A.2.1 Normal Distributions	19-67
          19A.2.2 Log-normal Distributions  	19-68
          19A.2.3 Chi-squared Distributions	19-69
          19A.2.4 T-Distributions  	19-70
          19A.2.5 Rectangular Distributions	19-71
          19A.2.6 Trapezoidal and Triangular Distributions	19-72
          19A.2.7 Exponential Distributions	19-73
          19A.2.8 Binomial Distributions 	19-73
          19A.2.9 Poisson Distributions  	19-74
       19A.3 References 	19-76
   Attachment 19B: Example Calculations 	19-77
       19B.1 Overview  	19-77
       19B.2 Sample Collection and Analysis	19-77
       19B.3 The Measurement Model	19-78
       19B.4 The Combined Standard Uncertainty	19-80
   Attachment 19C: Multicomponent Measurement Models	19-83
       19C.1 Introduction  	19-83
       19C.2 The Covariance Matrix	19-83
       19C.3 Least-Squares Regression	19-83
       19C.4 References 	19-84
   Attachment 19D: Estimation of Coverage Factors  	19-85
       19D. 1 Introduction  	19-85
       19D.2 Procedure	19-85
          19D.2.1 Basis of Procedure	19-85
          19D.2.2 Assumptions  	19-85
          19D.2.3 Effective Degrees of Freedom	19-86
          19D.2.4 Coverage Factor 	19-87
       19D.3 Poisson Counting Uncertainty	19-88
       19D.4 References 	19-91
   Attachment 19E: Uncertainties of Mass and Volume Measurements	19-93
       19E.1 Purpose	19-93
       19E.2 Mass Measurements	19-93
          19E.2.1  Considerations	19-93
          19E.2.2 Repeatability  	19-94
          19E.2.3  Environmental Factors	19-95
          19E.2.4 Calibration	19-97
          19E.2.5  Linearity	19-98
          19E.2.6 Gain or Loss of Mass	19-98
MARLAP                                 VIII                                 JULY 2004

-------
                                                                              Contents
          19E.2.7 Air-Buoyancy Corrections	19-99
          19E.2.8 Combining the Components 	19-103
       19E.3 Volume Measurements	19-105
          19E.3.1 First Approach	19-105
          19E.3.2 Second Approach	19-108
          19E.3.3 Third Approach	19-111
       19E.4 References  	19-111

20 Detection and Quantification Capabilities	20-1
20.1    Overview	20-1
   20.2   Concepts and Definitions	20-1
       20.2.1 Analyte Detection Decisions  	20-1
       20.2.2 The Critical Value 	20-3
       20.2.3 The Blank	20-5
       20.2.4 The Minimum Detectable Concentration	20-5
       20.2.6 Other Detection Terminologies	20-9
       20.2.7 The Minimum Quantifiable Concentration	20-10
   20.3   Recommendations 	20-11
   20.4   Calculation of Detection and Quantification Limits 	20-12
       20.4.1 Calculation of the Critical Value	20-12
          20.4.1.1 Normally Distributed Signals	20-13
          20.4.1.2 Poisson Counting 	20-13
          20.4.1.3 Batch Blanks	20-17
       20.4.2 Calculation of the Minimum Detectable Concentration  	20-18
          20.4.2.1 The Minimum Detectable Net Instrument Signal	20-19
          20.4.2.2 Normally Distributed Signals	20-20
          20.4.2.3 Poisson Counting 	20-24
          20.4.2.4 More Conservative Approaches  	20-28
          20.4.2.5 Experimental Verification of the MDC  	20-28
       20.4.3 Calculation of the Minimum Quantifiable Concentration	20-29
   20.5   References 	20-33
       20.5.1 Cited Sources	20-33
       20.5.2 Other Sources	20-35
   Attachment 20A: Low-Background Detection Issues	20-37
       20A.1 Overview 	20-37
       20A.2 Calculation of the Critical Value	20-37
          20A.2.1   Normally Distributed  Signals	20-37
          20A.2.2   Poisson Counting	20-39
       20A.3 Calculation of the Minimum Detectable Concentration  	20-53
          20A.3.1   Normally Distributed  Signals	20-54
          20A.3.2   Poisson Counting	20-58

JULY 2004                                 IX                                   MARLAP

-------
Contents
                                                                               rage




      20A.4 References  	20-62
MARLAP                                  X                                 JULY 2004

-------
                                                               Contents
                                                                   age
                     Appendix (Volume III)
G  Statistical Tables 	 G-l
Glossary	End of volume
JULY 2004                           XI                            MARLAP

-------
Contents
                                                                                     age
                        List of Figures (Volume III)
Figure 18.1 Problems leading to loss of analytical control	18-4
Figure 18.2 Control chart for daily counting of a standard reference source, with limits corrected
   for decay	18-7
Figure 18.3 Three general categories of blank changes  	18-12
Figure 18.4 Failed performance indicator: replicates	18-15
Figure 18.5 Failed performance indicator: chemical yield	18-23

Figure 19.1 Addition of uncertainty components	19-25
Figure 19.2 Expected fraction of atoms remaining at time t	19-35
Figure 19.3 A symmetric distribution	19-64
Figure 19.4 An asymmetric distribution	19-65
Figure 19.5 A normal distribution  	19-67
Figure 19.6 A log-normal distribution  	19-68
Figure 19.7 Chi-squared distributions	19-69
Figure 19.8 The ^-distribution with 3 degrees of freedom  	19-70
Figure 19.9 A rectangular distribution  	19-72
Figure 19.10  A trapezoidal distribution 	19-72
Figure 19.11  An exponential distribution	19-73
Figure 19.12a Poisson distribution vs. normal distribution, // = 3  	19-75
Figure 19.12b Poisson distribution vs. normal distribution, ju = 100	19-76
Figure 19.13  Nonlinear balance response curve  	19-98

Figure 20.1 The critical net signal, Sc, and minimum  detectable net signal, SD	20-6
Figure 20.2 Type I error rates for Table 20.1 	20-41
Figure 20.3 Type I error rate for the Poisson-normal approximation (tB = ts)  	20-42
Figure 20.4 Type I error rates for Formula A	20-44
Figure 20.5 Type I error rates for Formula B 	20-45
Figure 20.6 Type I error rates for Formula C 	20-46
Figure 20.7 Type I error rates for the Stapleton approximation	20-48
Figure 20.8 Type I error rates for the nonrandomized  exact test  	20-49
MARLAP                                   XII                                  JULY 2004

-------
                                                                                Contents
                                                                                    age
                        List of Tables (Volume III)
Table 18. la Certified Massic activities for natural radionuclides with a normal distribution of
measurement results	18-20
Table 18. Ib Certified Massic activities for anthropogenic radionuclides with a Weibull
   distribution of measurement results	18-20
Table 18. Ic Uncertified Massic activities	18-20
Table 18.2  Instrument background evaluation  	18-26
Table 18.3  Root-cause analysis of performance check results for spectrometry systems . . . 18-35
Table 18.4  Some causes of excursions in liquid scintillation analysis	18-40
Table 18.5  Example gas proportional instrument calibration, background frequency, and
   performance criteria	18-44
Table 18.6  Example gamma spectrometry instrument calibration, background frequency, and
   performance criteria	18-48
Table 18.7  Example alpha spectrometry instrument calibration, background frequency, and
   performance criteria	18-50
Table 18.8  Example liquid scintillation counting systems calibration, background frequency, and
   performance criteria	18-53
Table 18A.I Bias-correction factor for the experimental standard deviation	18-70

Table 19.1  Differentiation rules 	19-21
Table 19.2  Applications of the first-order uncertainty propagation formula  	19-21
Table 19.3  95 % confidence interval for a Poisson mean	19-75
Table 19.4  Input estimates and standard uncertainties	19-81
Table 19.5  Coefficients of cubical expansion	19-107
Table 19.6  Density of air-free water	19-109

Table 20.1  Critical gross count (well-known blank)	20-40
Table 20.2  Bias factor for the experimental standard deviation	20-55
Table 20.3  Estimated and true values of SD (tB = ^s)  	20-62

Table G.I Quantiles of the standard normal distribution  	  G-l
Table G.2 Quantiles of Student's t distribution  	  G-3
Table G.3 Quantiles of chi-square 	  G-5
Table G.4 Critical values for the nonrandomized exact test	  G-7
Table G.5 Summary of probability distributions  	  G-l 1
JULY 2004                                 XIII                                   MARLAP

-------
MARLAP                               XIV                               JULY 2004

-------
               ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AC  	alternating current
ADC	analog to digital convenor
AEA	Atomic Energy Act
AL  	action level
AMS	accelerator mass spectrometry
ANSI  	American National Standards Institute
AOAC  	Association of Official Analytical Chemists
APHA	American Public Health Association
APS  	analytical protocol specification
ARAR  	applicable or relevant and appropriate requirement (CERCLA/Superfund)
ASL  	analytical support laboratory
ASQC	American Society for Quality Control
ASTM  	American Society for Testing and Materials
AID	alpha track detector

BGO	bismuth germanate [detector]
BNL	Brookhaven National Laboratory (DOE)
BOA	basic ordering agreement

CAA	Clean Air Act
CC  	charcoal canisters
CEDE	committed effective dose equivalent
CERCLA ....  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
                  1980 ("Superfund")
c.f  	carrier free [tracer]
cfm	cubic feet per minute
CFR  	Code of Federal Regulations
CL  	central line (of a control chart)
CMPO  	  [octyl(phenyl)]-N,N-diisobutylcarbonylmethylphosphine oxide
CMST	Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology Program (DOE)
CO  	contracting officer
COC	chain of custody
COR	contracting officer's representative
cpm	counts per minute
cps  	counts per second
CRM	(1) continuous radon monitor; (2) certified reference material
CSU	combined standard uncertainty
CV  	coefficient of variation
CWA  	Clean Water Act
CWLM	continuous working level monitor
JULY 2004
XV
MARLAP

-------
Acronyms and Abbreviations
D	
DAAP . . .
DC  	
DCGL. . .
DHS ....
DIN	
DL  	
DoD ....
DOE ....
DOELAP
DOT ....
OOP ....
dpm  ....
DPPP  . . .
DQA ....
DQI	
DQO ....
DTPA . . .
DVB ....
EDO ....
EDTA . . .
EGTA . . .
EMEDD .
EPA  ....
ERPRIMS
ESC  ....
eV	

FAR  ....
FBO  ....
FDA ....
FEP	
fg  	
FOM ....
FWHM . .
FWTM . .
day[s]
homogeneous distribution coefficient
diamylamylphosphonate
direct current
derived concentration guideline level
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
di-isopropylnaphthalene
discrimination limit
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Energy
DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program
U.S. Department of Transportation
dispersed oil particulate
disintegrations per minute
dipentylpentylphosphonate
data quality assessment
data quality indicator
data quality objective
diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid
divinylbenzene

emission probability  per decay event
maximum beta-particle energy
electronic  data deliverable
ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid
ethyleneglycol bis(2-aminoethylether)-tetraacetate
environmental management electronic data deliverable (DOE)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Resources Program Management System (U.S. Air Force)
expedited  site characterization; expedited site conversion
electron volts

Federal Acquisition Regulations, CFR Title 48
Federal Business Opportunities [formerly Commerce Business Daily]
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
full energy peak
femtogram
figure of merit
full width  of a peak at half maximum
full width  of a peak at tenth maximum
MARLAP
                          XVI
JULY 2004

-------
                                                           Acronyms and Abbreviations
GC 	gas chromatography
GLPC	gas-liquid phase chromatography
GM	Geiger-Mueller [detector]
GP 	gas proportional [counter]
GUM  	Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (ISO)
Gy	gray[s]

h	hour[s]
H0	null hypothesis
HA, Hj	alternative hypothesis
HDBP	dibutylphosphoric acid
HDEHP  	bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid
HDPE	high-density polyethylene
HLW  	high-level [radioactive] waste
HPGe  	high-purity germanium
HPLC	high-pressure liquid chromatography; high-performance liquid chromatography
HTRW  	hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste

IAEA  	International Atomic Energy Agency
ICRU  	International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements
ICP-MS  	inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy
IPPD	integrated product and process development
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
IUPAC	International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

k	coverage factor
keV	kilo electron volts
KPA	kinetic phosphorimeter analysis

LAN	local area network
LANL	Los Alamos National Laboratory (DOE)
LBGR	lower bound of the gray region
LCL 	lower control limit
LCS 	laboratory control samples
LDPE	low-density polyethylene
LEGe  	low-energy germanium
LEVIS  	laboratory information management system
LLD 	lower limit of detection
LLNL	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (DOE)
LLRW  	low-level radioactive waste
LLRWPA ....  Low Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act
JULY 2004
XVII
MARLAP

-------
Acronyms and Abbreviations
LOMI	low oxidation-state transition-metal ion
LPC  	liquid-partition chromatography; liquid-phase chromatography
LS	liquid scintillation
LSC  	liquid scintillation counter
LWL	lower warning limit

MAPEP  	Mixed Analyte Performance Evaluation Program (DOE)
MARS SIM . .  . Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual
MCA  	multichannel analyzer
MCL	maximum contaminant limit
MDA  	minimum detectable amount; minimum detectable activity
MDC  	minimum detectable concentration
MDL	method detection limit
MeV	mega electron volts
MIBK	methyl isobutyl ketone
min	minute[s]
MPa  	megapascals
MQC  	minimum quantifiable concentration
MQO  	measurement quality objective
MS  	matrix spike; mass spectrometer
MSD	matrix spike duplicate
MVRM	method validation reference material
NAA	
Nal(Tl)	
NCP  	
NCRP	
NELAC  ....
NESHAP . .  .
MM  	
MST	
NPL  	

NRC	
NRIP  	
NTA (NTTA)
NTU	
NVLAP  ....

OA	
OFHC	
neutron activation analysis
thallium-activated sodium iodide [detector]
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement
National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (EPA)
nuclear instrumentation module
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Physics Laboratory (United Kingdom); National Priorities List (United
   States)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NIST Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program
nitrilotriacetate
nephelometric turbidity units
National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NIST)

observational approach
oxygen-free high-conductivity
MARLAP
                          XVIII
JULY 2004

-------
                                                             Acronyms and Abbreviations
OFPP
Pa
PARCC
PBBO
PCB
pCi
pdf
PE
PERALS
PFA
PIC
PIPS
PM
PMT
PT
PTB
PTFE
PUREX
PVC

QA
QAP
QAPP
QC

rad
RCRA
REE
REGe
rem
RFP
RFQ
RI/FS
RMDC
ROI
RPD
RPM
RSD
RSO
               Office of Federal Procurement Policy

               required relative method uncertainty
               pascals
               precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, and comparability
               2-(4'-biphenylyl) 6-phenylbenzoxazole
               polychlorinated biphenyl
               picocurie
               probability density function
               performance evaluation
               Photon Electron Rejecting Alpha Li quid Scintillation®
               perfluoroalcoholoxil™
               pressurized ionization chamber
               planar implanted passivated silicon [detector]
               project manager
               photomultiplier tube
               performance testing
               Physikalisch-Technische bundesanstalt (Germany)
               polytetrafluoroethylene
               plutonium uranium reduction extraction
               polyvinyl chloride

               quality assurance
               Quality Assessment Program  (DOE)
               quality assurance project plan
               quality control

               radiation absorbed dose
               Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
               rare earth elements
               reverse-electrode germanium
               roentgen equivalent:  man
               request for proposals
               request for quotations
               remedial investigation/feasibility study
               required minimum detectable concentration
               region of interest
               relative percent difference
               remedial project manager
               relative standard deviation
               radiation safety officer
JULY 2004
                                          XIX
MARLAP

-------
Acronyms and Abbreviations
s 	 second[s]
SA  	 spike activity
Sc	critical value
SAFER	 Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Program (DOE)
SAM	 site assessment manager
SAP  	 sampling and analysis plan
SEDD	 staged electronic data deliverable
SI  	international system of units
SMO	 sample management office[r]
SOP  	 standard operating procedure
SOW	 statement of work
SQC  	 statistical quality control
SPE	 solid-phase extraction
SR	unspiked sample result
SRM	 standard reference material
SSB  	 silicon surface barrier [alpha detector]
SSR  	 spiked sample result
Sv	 sievert[s]

t,/2  	half-life
TAT  	turnaround time
TBP  	tributylphosphate
TC  	to contain
TCLP  	toxicity characteristic leaching procedure
TD  	to deliver
TEC  	technical evaluation committee
TEDE	total effective dose equivalent
TEC  	technical evaluation committee (USGS)
TES  	technical evaluation sheet (USGS)
TFM	tetrafluorometoxil™
TIMS  	thermal ionization mass spectrometry
TIOA  	triisooctylamine
TLD  	thermoluminescent dosimeter
TnOA	tri-n-octylamine
TOPO	trioctylphosphinic oxide
TPO  	technical project officer
TPP	technical project planning
TPU  	total propagated uncertainty
TQM	Total Quality Management
TRUEX  	trans-uranium extraction
TSCA	Toxic Substances Control Act
MARLAP
XX
JULY 2004

-------
                                                             Acronyms and Abbreviations
TSDF  	treatment, storage, or disposal facility
tSIE  	transfomed spectral index of the external standard
TTA	thenoyltrifluoroacetone

U	expanded uncertainty
WMK	required absolute method uncertainty
uc(y)  	combined standard uncertainty
UBGR  	upper bound of the gray region
UCL	upper control limit
USAGE  	United States Army Corps of Engineers
USGS	United States Geological Survey
UV	ultraviolet
UWL  	upper warning limit

V	volt[s]

WCP	waste certification plan

XML	extensible mark-up language
XtGe®	extended-range germanium

y	year[s]
Y	response variable

ZnS(Ag)	silver-activated zinc sulfide [detector]
JULY 2004                                 XXI                                  MARLAP

-------

-------
            UNIT CONVERSION FACTORS
To Convert
Years (y)
Disintegrations
per second (dps)
Bq
Bq/kg
Bq/m3
Bq/m3
Microcuries per
milliliter
(|iCi/mL)
Disintegrations
per minute (dpm)
Gallons (gal)
Gray (Gy)
Roentgen
Equivalent Man
(rem)
To
Seconds (s)
Minutes (min)
Hours (h)
Becquerels (Bq)
Picocuries (pCi)
pCi/g
pCi/L
Bq/L
pCi/L
|iCi
pCi
Liters (L)
rad
Sievert (Sv)
Multiply by
3.16x 107
5.26 x 105
8.77 x 103
1.0
27.03
2.7 x io-2
2.7 x io-2
103
109
4.5 x io-7
4.5 x KT1
3.78
100
io-2
To Convert
s
min
h
Bq
pCi
pCi/g
pCi/L
Bq/L
pCi/L
pCi
Liters
rad
Sv ' '
To
y
dps
Bq
Bq/kg
Bq/m3
Bq/m3
jiCi/mL
dpm
Gallons
Gy ' ' •;_
rem
Multiply by
3,17x:iO~8
1,90 x lQ-« .
1.14 x 1Q~4
1.0,
3.7. xlQ-2 •
37 '
37 . ' •
io~3 - .
iQ-9
2:22 :.".
0.265
io-2
IO2 ,
JULY 2004
XXIII
MARLAP

-------