The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has the mandate in the Euratom Treaty of ensuring a standard system of measurements.
This includes the provision to policy partners, research institutes, academia and industry, of various actinide isotopic certified reference materials (CRMs) for applications in nuclear safeguards, security and safety. The JRC labpratories are compliant with ISO 17034:2016 and accredited by the Belgian Accreditation Body (BELAC). Prioritisation in this competence domain is done in line with the JRC’s mandate in co-creation with Euratom Safeguards and stakeholders at an international level via consultations, dedicated support programmes (EC-SP to the IAEA), technical meetings and working groups, such as in ESARDA.
The JRC CRMs are applied worldwide for instrument calibration, validation of analytical methods and for quality control in nuclear energy and non-energy applications.
RM Certified for isotope amount rations
Uranium hexafluoride (UF6):
• IRMM-019-027 series
Uranium solutions:
• IRMM-183-187 (set of 5 units)
• IRMM-3100a
• IRMM-3020-3090 (set of 5 units)
• IRMM-2019-2030 (set of 12 units)
• IRMM-073 series (set of 15 units)
• IRMM-074 series (set of 10 units)
• IRMM-075 series (set of 6 units)
• EC-NRM-199
Plutonium solutions:
• IRMM-290 series (set of 7 units)
• IRMM-290a series (set of 7 units)
• IRMM-290b series (set of 7 units)
RM certified for production date ("age dating")
Uranium dried nitrate:
• IRMM-1000a and IRMM-1000b
RM certified for element mass fraction
Uranium dioxide (pellets):
• EC-NRM-106 (natural U)
• EC-NRM-110 (depleted U)
Uranium ore:
• EC-NRM-113
• EC-NRM-114 (natural U)
RM certified for production 60CO massic activity
Stainless steel disk:
• EURM-800 and EURM-801
RM for reactor neutron fission dosimetry
Oxide microspheres certified for (isotope) mass fraction:
• IRMM-501 (238UO2)
• IRMM-502 (237NpO2)
Uranium particle reference materials
Triuranium octoxide (U3O8) particle:
• IRMM-2329P (Isotope amount ratio and Uranium amount per particle)
• IRMM-2331P (Isotope amount ratio)
RM certified for isotope amount content and isotope amount ratios
Uranium solutions:
• IRMM-054 (enriched in 235U)
• IRMM-3636a and IRMM-3636b ("double spike" certified for 233U, 236U amount
content, 233U/236U ratio close to 1)
• IRMM-3660a and IRMM-3660b (enriched in 236U)
Plutonium solutions:
• IRMM-049e
• IRMM-083 (enriched in 240Pu)
Mixed Uranium /Plutonium dried nitrate:
• IRMM-1027 series LSD
Americium solution:
• IRMM-0243 (called STAM by CETAMA)
(enriched in 243Am)
Uranium particles U3O8:
• IRMM-2329P and IRMM-2331P
(isotope amount ratios only)
Future objectives and challenges:
Provision of certified nuclear reference materials (CRMs) in compliance with ISO 17034 and accredited by the Belgium Accreditation Body (BELAC) to support the authorities in achieving their required high level of detection probability in nuclear safeguards and security.
Future CRM projects:
• IRMM-040b (233U) and IRMM-046d (242Pu/233U).
• IRMM-1027 series U/Pu Large-Sized Dried spike.
• IRMM-1038a U Large-Sized Dried spike.
• Preserving skills and competences in the field of nuclear CRM production.