ISSN 1681-5084

INSTITUTE FOR REFERENCE MATERIALS

ANDMEASUREMENTS

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONJOINT RESEARCH CENTRE

Report EUR 20757 EN

ACTIVITY REPORT2 0 0 2

The mission of IRMM is to promote a common European measurement system in support of EU po-licies, especially health and consumer protection, environment, agriculture, internal market and in-dustrial standards.

European CommissionDirectorate-General Joint Research CentreInstitute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)

Editors:This report was compiled and edited by Dr. S. Lehto and Dr. D. Florian

Inquiries should be addressed to the Commercialisation of ReferenceMaterials and Methods and Scientific Liaison (CSL) Unit

Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)Retieseweg B-2440 GeelPhone: + 32 14 571 271Fax: + 32 14 584 273E-mail: marketing@irmm.jrc.be

Information on the institute may also be found on the Internet:http://www.irmm.jrc.behttp://www.jrc.cec.eu.int

Graphic design and layout:J.J. Blasco / Cover: R. SánchezInformation and Public Relations Unit • JRC Ispra

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A great deal of additional information on the European Union is availableon the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa serverhttp://europa.eu.int

EUR Report 20757 ENLuxembourg: Office for Official Publicationsof the European Communities, 2003

ISBN 92-894-5832-1

© European Communities, 2003

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged

Printed in Italy

Institute for ReferenceMaterials and Measurements

INSTITUTE FOR REFERENCE MATERIALS

ANDMEASUREMENTS

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONJOINT RESEARCH CENTRE

Report EUR 20757 EN

ACTIVITY REPORT2 0 0 2

Contents

Contributing to the European Research Area 33

The Institute in figures 35

Scientific excellence and highlights of the year 2002 38

Organigramme 40

Foreword 4

Overview of the Institute and its scientific activities in 2002 5

Reference Materials and Chemical Reference Measurements 7

Reference Materials 8

Chemical Reference Measurements 12

Food and Feed 16

Isotopic Measurements 20

Neutron Physics 24

Radionuclide Metrology 29

2002 was the last year in the 5th Framework Programme,and a year in which the Institute consolidated a numberof achievements in different areas. It devoted its effortsto working in the European Research Area (ERA) bytraining of researchers, networking, supporting theEuropean Union enlargement process, permitting accessand use of the research infrastructures and by contributingto the development of common scientific referencesystems. It strengthened its role in metrology in chemistryand as a major reference material producer. It significantlycontributed to testing of genetically modified organisms(GMO), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) andbeef gender. In the nuclear research field the first everdirect measurements of the 233Pa neutron-induced fissioncross-sections were performed successfully and anotherbreakthrough was the discovery of a particle leakingeffect. Decommissioning of the radiochemistry buildingwas completed and on 11th October, Commissioner PhilippeBusquin inaugurated the renovated building for researchin food, health and environmentally related issues.

2002 was also a year of change in IRMM when the majorpart of the Food Products Unit of the JRC Institute forHealth and Consumer Protection (Ispra) was incorporated,as of 1st August 2002, to the Institute. The area on foodand feed safety and quality control brings new scientificchallenges to IRMM and gives to it new importantresponsibilities, including the Commission proposal forJRC as a Community Reference Laboratory for FeedAdditives.

IRMM has continued demonstrating excellence in anumber of fields. Mr. Fredrik Tovesson was awarded 2nd

prize for the JRC innovative scientific paper of the year.The continuous efforts to improve management broughtto the Institute the award of the Best Authorising Officerof the Year, given by the Directorate-General for FinancialControl and the staff showed higher job satisfactionthan in the preceding years. Mr. Marc Wellens, the Headof the Management Support Unit deserves special creditfor this achievement.

Most of the merit for the successes of IRMM during theyear 2002 is due to Director Manfred Grasserbauer who,as of 1st November, started as the Director of the JRCInstitute for Environment and Sustainability in Ispra.On behalf of the IRMM staff I would like to express ourappreciation of the excellent work he has performed atthe Institute during his six years of management. Hiscontributions to this Institute will certainly be part ofits history.

Finally, I would also like to thank the IRMM staff andits management team for their engagement andenthusiasm for the year 2002 and for the warm welcomethey have given to me. I am also looking forward tocontinuing the good cooperation with our manycollaborators and customers.

Alejandro HerreroDirector IRMM

Foreword

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Elevated levels of acrylamid have beenfound in heat treated carbohydrate

rich food products.

BCR® certified referencematerial for bovine muscle.

The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements(IRMM) is one of the seven Institutes of the Joint ResearchCentre (JRC), a Directorate-General of the European Com-mission (EC), providing independent scientific and techni-cal support to Community policy-making.

Mission

IRMM promotes a common European measurement systemin support of EU policies, especially health and consumerprotection, environment, agriculture, internal market andindustrial standards. This is achieved by developing andperforming specific reference measurements, by produc-ing certified reference materials, by organising interna-tional measurement evaluation programmes, by establish-ing trans-national databases, and by carrying outprenormative research.

Its services are not only directed to the Directorates Gen-eral of the European Commission but also to the MemberStates and their institutions, international organisationsas well as industry. IRMM represents the European Com-mission in international metrology organisations such asthe International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)and the Association of European Metrology Institutes(EUROMET).

Reseach areas

IRMM has five major research lines:• reference materials and chemical reference

measurements• food and feed• isotopic measurements• neutron physics, and• radionuclide metrology.

Special infrastructure

The research facilities include, among others, multi-functional and flexible laboratories for development andproduction of reference materials, advanced analyticallaboratories, an ultra-clean chemical laboratory, 150 MeVlinear and 7 MV Van de Graaff accelerators, and an under-ground laboratory for ultra-low level activity referencemeasurements.

Reference materials

In 2002 the Institute has distributed over 13,000 units ofboth IRMM and BCR® certified reference materials. Newreference materials are continuously being developed andexhausted ones replaced. Among those are a new genera-tion of genetically modified organism (GMO) referencematerials essential for both validating and calibrating theanalytical methods used for GMO quantification, that wasput on the market in 2002, and a new certified referencematerial for one of the minor isotopes of uranium. The

Overview of the Institute and its scientific activities in 2002

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large dried spikes developed earlier at IRMM have been asuccess, and after a thorough study by the JRC Institutefor Transuranium Elements (Karlsruhe), have been accept-ed as the technique of choice at the on-site nuclear labo-ratories for the analysis of the amount of uranium orplutonium. IRMM has also provided proficiency testingmaterials and organised proficiency tests and other meas-urement capability evaluations in the Member States andCandidate Countries.

Special emphasis has been placed into networking, en-hancement of collaboration with the major national refer-ence material producers. This year IRMM participated inthe Pittcon (USA) and Analytica (DE) exhibitions togetherwith the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC, UK)and Bundesanstalt für Materialprüfung (BAM, DE).

In 2002 IRMM became the Belgian coding centre for theCOMAR database that covers information about more than10000 certified reference materials on a global scale.

Analytical methods for food and the environment

Research on analytical methods has resulted in validationand improvement of screening methods for mycotoxins,food allergens and central nervous system tissue in meatproducts, validation of procedures for sugar in syrup andfor radionuclides in environmental reference materials, aswell as development of other advanced analytical meth-ods for antibiotics, proteins and persistent chlorinated

compounds. Besides, IRMM has significantly contributedto the establishment of a quality control system for post-mortem testing on bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE) and has initiated work on acrylamides.

Nuclear research

In the field of nuclear research the Institute continues toprovide accurate cross section data for the nuclear com-munity to be used for modelling and evaluating a varietyof issues related to safety of nuclear reactors, technologi-cal applications as well as waste transmutation studies.The Institute actively contributes to harmonisation of nu-clear metrology e.g. through its work on the prototype ofthe world primary standard of radioactivity.

European Research Area and enlargement

With the enlargement of the European Union training ofscientists has become an increasingly important part ofIRMM activities. IRMM hosts visiting scientists andgrantholders from the Candidate Countries as well as fromthe Member States. IRMM has organised training in thefields of chemical metrology, certified reference materialsand nuclear reference measurements, hosted numerousseminars and sponsored workshops. The accelerators havebeen made accessible for outside users and, in 2002, 31users from the Member States and from the CandidateCountries have taken up on the opportunity to benefitfrom the unique facilities.

Neutron flight paths of the pulsedwhite spectrum neutron source.

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IRMM develops and produces certified reference materi-als (CRM) for quality assurance of chemical, biochemicaland biological measurements, and handles the storageand distribution of BCR®- and IRMM certified referencematerials. It also develops analytical reference methodsfor the elements and their chemical forms, radionuclidesand organic constituents.

IRMM offers one of Europe’s most advanced facility forpreparing complex materials like foodstuff or other bio-logical materials by e.g. freeze drying, cryo-grinding

and manipulation under controlled atmosphere. Thechemical laboratories employ a large variety of analyti-cal techniques e.g. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry(XRFS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), in-ductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry(ICP-OES), and α- and γ-spectrometry, as well as sepa-ration techniques like gas chromatography (GC), highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillaryelectrophoresis (CE) and accelerated solvent extraction(ASE) combined with advanced detection methods.

IRMM’s storage room for reference materials.Automatic bottling and capping system forproduction of certified reference materials.

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Reference Materials and Chemical Reference Measurements

IRMM provides its customers with certified referencematerials for the calibration, validation and quality as-surance of analytical measurements and the means ofestablishing a vital link in the chain of traceability. Italso supplies proficiency testing materials for assessingthe performance of analytical laboratories, particularlythe Community and National Reference Laboratoriesand advises the Directorates-General on analytical andmetrological issues relevant to implementation andmonitoring of Community legislation.

IRMM, in collaboration with the European Commission’sDirectorate-General for Research, is a world leader inthe production, certification and distribution of CRMs.At present, IRMM offers over 500 different BCR® CRMs,with a total stock load of some 500,000 samples. Thereference materials prepared, certified and distributedby IRMM support measurements carried out in a widerange of sectors ranging from agriculture to industry,from food quality to environmental protection andhealth.

The IRMM CRMs are produced and certified in accord-ance with internationally accepted guidelines, e.g. fromthe International Standards Organisation (ISO). Theyare produced either on IRMM's own initiative e.g. to re-place exhausted stocks of reference materials, or on re-quests from Directorates-General of the EC or other pub-lic bodies.

Food materials

The analytical difficulty and the economic importanceof controlling mycotoxins at legislative levels in foodand feed led to the development of a series of certifiedreference materials for various mycotoxins. Due to thehigh demand of these CRMs by the measurement com-munity and the need to ensure the comparability andtraceability of measurements in the future, IRMM hasprepared and certified new batches of mycotoxin refer-ence materials for total and individual aflatoxin con-tents in peanut products as well as deoxynivalenol(DON) in wheat. Moreover reference materials for afla-toxin M1 in milk powder are being prepared.

Recently, a CRM for gliadin from European wheat wasdeveloped in close collaboration with the ProlaminWorking Group of Codex Alimentarius. This CRM intro-duces the first available standard suitable for measure-ments of gluten in foodstuffs and is of pivotal impor-tance for patients suffering from coeliac disease.

For certain agricultural products Community aid isgranted under the Common Agricultural Policy in orderto guarantee the stability of the market. To deter fraud-ulent malpractice in this so-called intervention systemdedicated analytical methods have been developed toensure the genuineness of the product, or failing this,marker substances are added to establish the authentic-

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BCR® certified reference materials:wine, milk powder and chocolate.

Reference Materials

ity of the commodity concerned. Butterfat is a primetarget for unlawful manipulations and therefore anelaborate system of analytical criteria, which have to bemet, has been put into place. To assist control laborato-ries in making correct decisions two CRMs, butterfatwith added tracer substances and a genuine butterfat,and a butterfat/palm oil blend with a certified triglycer-ide composition, have been developed and produced byIRMM.

GMO detection

Assessment of the compliance of food products contain-ing genetically modified organisms (GMO) with the reg-ulations of the European Union is based on the detec-tion and quantification of modified DNA. Certified GMOreference materials are needed both to calibrate andvalidate the analytical methods used. In support to thenovel food Regulation (EC) 258/97 and in collaborationwith Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Pro-tection and the JRC Institute for Health and ConsumerProtection (IHCP, Ispra), IRMM was the first and still isthe main producer of certified GMO reference materialsglobally.

In 2002, the stock of certified reference materials forRoundup Ready Soya Beans approached exhaustion andtherefore about 17,000 units of RUR soybeans with GMOconcentrations between 0 and 5% were produced and

bottled using newly developed IRMM technology tominimise DNA degradation of these delicate materialsduring processing. Certification of the “third ge-neration” GMO reference materials has now been final-ised and the product is released for sale. Two new dry-mixed series of Bt-11 and Bt-176 maize GMO candidatecertified reference materials were also produced to sup-port the implementation and control of European le-gislation on labelling (Directives 258/97/EEC and49/2000/EEC).

BSE testing

On request from the Directorate-General for Health andConsumer Protection IRMM has evaluated five new testsfor detecting infection of cattle with bovine spongiformencephalopathy (BSE). Two of these tests participatedin a field trial to qualify for an official approval by theEuropean Commission. IRMM provided technical andscientific support, analysed all field trial data and pre-pared reports on the test performance for the ScientificSteering Committee. The first ever proficiency testingexercise for national reference laboratories active inBSE post-mortem testing was carried out in 2001. In2002 the exercise was extended to the national refer-ence laboratories for BSE of 12 Candidate Countries toestablish a quality control system for BSE testing labo-ratories.

High impact mill for GMOreference material preparation.

Internal quality control measurementsfor the GMO reference materialproduction.

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Working with hazardous substances.

Gender testing of beef

Depending on whether the beef is declared as male(considered to be of higher quality) or female the dif-ference in EU export and import subsidy is considerable.Strict legislation has been established to ensure thecorrect gender declaration of beef at the EU level. Onrequest of the Directorate-General for Agriculture, IRMMhas evaluated the available methods for gender testingand proposed the most promising DNA technique. Aftera feasibility study the selected beef gender testingmethod was approved by the Scientific Audit Committeeand has now been taken up into Regulation (EC) No765/2002.

Clinical diagnosis

The European Directive for In Vitro Diagnostic and Med-ical Devices (IVD-Directive 98/79/EC) foresees tracea-bility of diagnostic results to reference materials ofhigher order where available. In collaboration with theInternational Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC)IRMM has been producing certified reference materialsin order to introduce comparability of clinical data be-tween different testing laboratories. The collaborationhas already led to the development of a series of

important CRMs for tumour markers, infectious diseas-es, cardiac damages (in total ca 40 different proteinmarkers), etc. Meanwhile, also the US Center for DiseaseControl has recommended the IRMM CRM “Plasma Pro-teins in Human Serum” as primary reference material.

Environmental materials

A recent example for supporting environmental protec-tion is the determination of the precise sulphur contentof diesel. New legislation has further reduced the allow-able sulphur levels, creating a need for new referencematerials. In support of the new legislation IRMM hasprepared and certified, together with the National In-stitute for Science and Technology (NIST, USA), certi-fied reference materials for sulphur in gas oil.

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDD) and dibenzo-furans (PDBF) are highly toxic contaminants of the en-vironment with a high potential for bioaccumulation.For the analysis of those compounds occurring at ultra-trace levels highly sophisticated analytical techniqueshave to be applied so as to assure scientifically sounddata. The IRMM has produced a series of solutions witha certified content of individual PCDD/PCDF congenersto be used for setting up analytical methodologies, and

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in particular for instrument calibration. They will helplaboratories to comply with quality assurance demandsand performance criteria as laid down in several Europe-an directives on incineration of municipal, hospital andindustrial waste. Furthermore, these certified referencematerials will play an important role in analytical quali-ty assurance programmes of the laboratories concernedwith implementing the Commission’s strategy to reducedioxins in the food and feed chain.

The new Water Framework Directive places much em-phasis on the analysis and monitoring of priority sub-stances in the aquatic environment. Accordingly, theIRMM has launched a programme to develop analyticalquality assurance tools (matrix reference materials,pure calibrants, proficiency testing samples) to assist insetting up efficient monitoring systems throughout theMember States.

ContactProf. Dr. Hendrik EmonsTel. +32 (0)14 571 722Fax +32 (0)14 590 406hendrik.emons@cec.eu.int

Catalogues of Reference Materials can bedownloaded from the Institute web sitehttp://www.irmm.jrc.be

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IRMM provides reference methods and measurements fora great variety of application fields ranging from assaysof pure materials to speciation of trace elements incomplex matrices. The most commonly used analyticaltechniques are the so-called hyphenated techniquescombining separation of compounds by liquid chroma-tography (LC) or capillary electrophoresis (CE) and de-tection by e.g. UV spectrometry, electrochemistry (ECD)or mass spectrometry (MS).

Reference analytical methods are developed at IRMM onbehalf of various Directorates-General to support theimplementation of Community legislation and increas-ingly for the IRMM production programme of referenceand proficiency testing materials (PTM). In addition tomethod development homogeneity, stability, certifica-tion or feasibility studies are carried out.

IRMM also provides support to international organisa-tions like the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA, Vienna) via the Directorate-General for ExternalRelations by making available its special expertise onchemical enrichment of radionuclides and low-level ra-dioactivity measurements to detect radionuclides in en-vironmental and food matrices.

In 2002, important progress has been achieved andmore knowledge gained especially in the fields of deter-mination of antibiotics in biological matrices, separa-tion and characterisation of proteins and metal-bindingproteins of clinical interest, speciation of selenium infood supplements, and determination of compounds inoxidative hair dye formulations.

Method development

A large variety of analytical reference methods areneeded to enact policies of the European Union and toprovide hands-on scientific support towards harmonisa-tion and interaction with the trading partners of the Eu-ropean Union, and in particular with the CandidateCountries. For this purpose analytical methods are de-veloped at IRMM and chemical measurements are per-formed to ensure the quality and safety of food, agricul-tural and consumer products. These methods undergo afull in-house validation, meaning that the performancecharacteristics are extensively established and thatthey fulfil the requirements for reliability and accuracy.

Capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometricdetection is used e.g. for the analysis of

fluoroquinolone and macrolide antibiotics infood of animal origin.

Transfering excised protein spotsto microplates.

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Chemical Reference Measurements

In 2002, method development at IRMM was focused onthe determination of two classes of antibiotics (fluoro-quinolones and macrolides) in products of biological in-terest such as pig kidney and bovine urine, and in envi-ronmental waters (in support of Directive 70/524/CEE,Regulation (EC) No 2821/98). Various hyphenated tech-niques have been applied to the analysis of fluoroqui-nolones and macrolides. This has resulted in in-housevalidation of LC-tandem mass spectrometric methodsfor 11 fluoroquinolones in pig kidney, and LC methodswith UV detection for 9 fluoroquinolones in natural wa-ters. Major progress has been achieved in optimisinganalytical procedures for the determination of 9 fluoro-quinolones by CE combined with mass spectrometry and8 macrolides in urine by LC-ECD. In addition, an exten-sive study on degradation of two quinolones in river wa-ter samples has been performed.

In the field of characterisation of metalloproteins,IRMM has developed various LC- and CE-based separa-tion procedures for different metal-binding proteins ofbiological and clinical interest, including e.g. myoglob-in, hemoglobin, transferrin, cytochrome C, superoxidedismutase, carbonic anhydrase and ferritin. This work isdone under a COST project ‘Characterisation of metallo-proteins, key molecules for biological processes’. Mainobjective of the project is to increase the knowledge ofthe chemistry of metal sites in proteins to strengthentheir application to chemical, biological, pharmacologi-cal and environmental sciences. In a frame of theshared cost action ‘IVD-Thyroid’ measurements relatedto the determination of main component and relatedsubstances in a commercial sample of thyroid hormonethyroxine T4 were performed by LC-UV and LC-MS/MS.

International comparison exercises

To establish method performance criteria under routineconditions, international comparison exercises are or-ganised. In 2002, two such comparisons organised byIRMM were ongoing.

To enforce the Regulation (EC) No 2135/95 laying downrules of application for the grant of export refunds inthe sugar sector, a modern method for sugar in industri-al syrups was needed to replace an outdated officialmethod. On request of the Directorate-General for Agri-culture two high-performance liquid chromatographicmethods were developed and tested. The method se-lected for further validation was then submitted to aninterlaboratory test with 8 participants and is now pro-posed to replace the old method.

In support to the Directorate-General for Enterprise,IRMM developed and validated a method for commercialoxidative hair dye formulations which is being interna-tionally validated in 2002 using the Peer Review proce-dure of the Association of Official Analytical Chemistry(USA). The high-performance liquid chromatographymethod enables reliable identification and quantifica-tion of a broad spectrum of possible hair dye formingcompounds. After successful validation the method willbe proposed as an official method of the European Com-mission to support implemention of the Cosmetic Direc-tive (76/768/EEC, 93/35/EEC) and its 6th amendment,requiring the harmonisation of analytical methods usedfor characterisation of cosmetic products.

Scientists in the analyticalchemistry laboratory.

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Analytical measurementsfor certification campaigns

One of the major tasks of IRMM is to develop chemicalreference methods and perform measurements for nor-malisation and certification purposes. The subjects andobjectives of these tasks are highly varied in terms ofanalytical and chemical requirements. Special attentionhas been given to the development of methods and pro-cedures for compounds in various matrices of signifi-cance for health, consumer and environmental protec-tion.

The research on the development and validation of ana-lytical methods and procedures has been concentratedin solving problems related to reference materials, andto generate a basis for strong analytical capability. Themethods developed have been applied for the charac-terisation of reference materials. Examples of tasks exe-cuted in 2002 included successful fulfilment of 32 re-quests in the field of certification, homogeneity orstability analysis, and validation of about 15 methodsand procedures for the analysis of different analytes ina variety of matrices.

For several years now, IRMM has worked on speciationof selenium for production of speciated certified refer-ence materials. IRMM has improved sample preparationprocedures to preserve the integrity of selenium speciesand presented a method to identify and determine thechemical forms of selenium. As a part of a shared costaction entitled “Feasibility Studies for Speciated CRMsfor Arsenic in Chicken, Rice, Fish and Soil, and for Sele-nium in Yeast and Cereals” and in support to Directives70/524/CEE and 89/398/CEE analytical methods havebeen developed to enable the measurement of inorganic

selenium and the selenoaminoacids. Methods based onsodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis (SDS-PAGE) have been proposed for the deter-mination of the selenium containing proteins. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is being investigatedfor complete resolution of the selenium containing pro-teins and another method based on laser ablation ICP-MS is currently being developed for off-line determina-tion of selenium in proteins. The objective is to estab-lish reference maps for selenium containing proteins infood supplements.

Radionuclide chemistry

The development of chemical separations and determi-nation of usually low levels of radionuclides in environ-mental and food matrices, for which substantial know-how has been accumulated, was continued.

A variety of contributions to reference material certifi-cation have been given:• development of a pre-concentration method for actin-

oids from water,• participation in the network for the determination of

thorium in workplace materials, including participa-tion in method validation tests, set-up of analyticalprocedures, definition of reference materials and theirfuture requirements,

• participation in a reference material certification pro-cedure (milk powder and soil) in co-operation withIAEA and a number of Metrology Institutions, and

• development of a method to determine radium in sur-face and mineral waters (Mineral and Drinking WaterDirectives).

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A selenised yeast material forfeasibility studies on seleniumspeciation.

Metrological support

The metrological service is the backbone to severalIRMM activities. Precision mass determinations providedirect traceability to the SI unit of mass, and form theunderlying traceability link in amount of substance me-trology to the SI unit - the mole, against a copy of the1 kg standard of BIPM. Typical examples of metrologicaloperations were the weighings done in 2002 - weighing

honey samples, making mixtures of polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCB), isotope dilution and spiking of uranium,preparing 41Ca solutions, Cu spikes and synthetic mix-tures of the isotopes of zinc. The linear accelerator wasusing the metrological service for alignment of flightpaths and for measuring thickness of diaphragms. A reg-ular task of the service is checking and calibrating bal-ances and calibrating weight sets.

ContactProf. Dr. Dr. Adela RodríguezTel. +32 (0)14 571 200Fax +32 (0)14 584 273adela.rodriguez-fernandez@cec.eu.int

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IRMM gives scientific and technical support to institu-tions engaged in the implementation of food legisla-tion, in particular by developing and validating analyti-cal methods. It interacts closely with the Directorates-General of the European Commission, European Institu-tions and Standardisation Bodies, and the food andfeed industry. Strong networking with food and feedcontrol laboratories from the Member States and Candi-date Countries is essential. IRMM has started preparingtowards becoming the Community Reference Laboratoryon Feed Additives in strong collaboration with nationalexpert laboratories. The Directorate-General for Healthand Consumer Protection partly funds this preparatorywork for 2 years from 2003 onwards.

Due to reorganisation of activities inside the Joint Re-search Centre, the main activities of the Food ProductsUnit hosted in the Institute for Health and ConsumerProtection (IHCP, Ispra) were moved to the Institute forReference Materials and Measurements. In August 2002a new unit for food and feed was created. Work on ge-netically modified organisms that was started in theConsumer Products and Food Unit in 1997 was contin-ued in a dedicated new unit that remained in the IHCP.Likewise, the European Office for Wine, Alcohol andSpirit Drinks (BEVABS) and activities on materials incontact were not moved to the IRMM. For this reason,only the work on food and feed analysis carried out in2002 and transferred to the IRMM is described in thissection.

Feed safety

Safety of feeding stuff is important not only for ensur-ing healthy live stock but also for ensuring the safety ofanimal derived food products. Therefore contaminationof feed by pollutants from environment, fraudulent ad-dition of harmful substances or inappropriate use offeed additives and animal by-products has to be limitedand if possible, prevented. To that end European legis-lation has been put in place and several measures havebeen adopted. Implementation of these regulations andmeasures calls for reliable analytical control methods.

During 2002, the IRMM has worked in collaborationwith Member States’ laboratories (e.g. in Europeanprojects such as STRATFEED) to develop methods for thedetection of meat and bone meal (MBM). Given the re-quirements set by recent legislation (e.g. Regulation(EC) No 1774/2002) major emphasis was placed on thedifferentiation between MBM from various animals. Forinstance, lifting the ban of fishmeal as ingredient forruminant feed requires methods capable of detectingmammalian MBM in feed when there is also fishmealpresent. Similarly, the use of poultry meal as feed ingre-dients for pigs is only possible if a validated analyticalmethod allows the detection of mammalian MBM in feedthat also contains poultry meal. To evaluate the state ofthe art of analytical methods in this field IRMM con-ducted an intercomparison study on behalf of the Direc-torate-General for Health and Consumer Protection. Thestudy covered four different methodological approach-es. The preliminary results clearly demonstrate a needfor improving the available methods.

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IRMM analyses mycotoxins inbeer and brain in sausages.

Food and Feed

Legislation is being prepared that will classify animal-by-products such as meat and bone meal into three cat-egories for further use: class 1 to be destroyed by burn-ing, class 2 to be used on soil and for biogasproduction, and class 3 to be used in feeding stuff. Spe-cific markers are necessary to distinguish betweenthose classes. Several potential markers with smellingand colouring properties are being evaluated at IRMMand a marker to be detected by chemical analysis hasbeen proposed.

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by variousfungi growing on food and animal feed. Regulationshave been set in more than 70 countries in order to re-strict the intake of mycotoxins. To support the legisla-tion there is a persistent need for both rapid screeningand confirmatory methods. IRMM’s activities on myco-toxins continue the work started in 1995. The researchhas resulted in several analytical methods for quantifi-cation of various mycotoxins in food and feed that havebecome international standards (e.g. European Commit-tee for Standardisation - CEN, Association of AnalyticalCommunities International). In 2002, a method basedon thin layer chromatography for determination of thetotal aflatoxin content in peanuts and corn was validat-ed, and methods for fumonisins, deoxy-nivalenol andzearalenone in corn and wheat were developed. New ap-proaches for sampling prior to analysis were developedand mycotoxins in beer from the European market andof fumonisins in Bulgarian corn samples were moni-

tored. The work on mycotoxins has been recognised bythe Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Pro-tection which is partly financing urgent method devel-opment and validation for the determination of patulinand other mycotoxins for which legislative limits will beset in near future.

Food allergens

Food allergies represent an important health problem inindustrialised countries. Overall, the peanut allergy isthe most common and serious in terms of persistenceand severity of reactions. To develop, improve and vali-date analytical methods for the detection of food aller-gens in processed food IRMM started in 2002 the pro-duction of a certified peanut reference material. IRMMhas investigated the effect of heat treatment on the de-tectability of peanut allergens and has initiated the or-ganisation of a collaborative trial for peanut detectionin cookies and chocolate at part-per-million levels. Incollaboration with other European research laborato-ries, available test kits for peanut detection in foodwith human sera-based methods have been compared.In addition, several test kits for determination of pea-nut allergens in food products have been validated in-house. Basic research on e.g. confirmatory methods us-ing high performance liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection and new extrac-tion methods of peanut and hazelnut allergens is car-ried out in collaboration with several international or-ganisations.

Peanut allergy is the most common food allergy.IRMM has studied the effect of heat treatment onthe detectability of the peanut allergens.

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Persistent chlorinated compounds

With the advent of the dioxin crisis in Belgium in 1999rapid screening methods have become of prime interestto implement larger environmental surveillance pro-grammes. The IRMM started activities in this field bydeveloping simple methods for the determination of thepolychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) content in food andfeeding stuff. In 2002, a screening method for the de-tection of dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs, based on theiractivation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) wasvalidated. Results of this international intercomparisonstudy will be available in 2003.

Central nervous system tissue in meat products

The transmissible form of spongiform encephalopathy(TSE) is one of the main threats to the safety of foodand animal feed. The main infectivity is found in tissuesof the central nervous system (CNS). European legisla-tion has been put in place and several measures havebeen adopted to prevent contamination of the food andfeed chain with TSE agents. The need to assess compli-ance with the legislation has given the impetus to de-veloping detection methods of CNS tissues in food.

In 2002 methods for detection of tissues from the CNSin food products, e.g. addition of brain to sausages,were evaluated at the JRC. Two methods based on testkits have already been validated on an internationallevel. An alternative (confirmatory) method based onthe determination of cis/trans isomers of nervonic acidas a marker of brain tissue has been improved. Themethod has been tested collaboratively in 2002. The

IRMM will repeat this trial taking into account resultson background levels of nervonic acid in various animaltissues (e.g. brain, liver, kidney, meat) from differentanimal species.

Acrylamide

A new research topic evolved from the findings of theSwedish National Food Authority that reported in April2002 elevated levels of acrylamide in heat-treated car-bohydrate rich food products. As acrylamide is a poten-tial carcinogen, a global monitoring of this substancein a broad variety of food products has been started bymany organisations. In close collaboration with the Di-rectorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection,Directorate-General for Research and the European FoodSafety Authority (EFSA) the IRMM coordinates activitiescarried out within Europe by e.g. setting up a databaseon research projects, creating a template for a monitor-ing data base, preparing of a workshop held in 2003 andcollecting information of analytical methods available.

Smoke flavourings

Upon an urgent request from the Directorate-General forHealth and Consumer Protection IRMM has initiated de-velopment and validation of methods for the character-isation of liquid smoke flavourings and for the analysisof toxic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydro-carbons in such products. Smoke flavourings have to beauthorised by EFSA in the near future. A proposal for aEuropean Parliament and Council Regulation on smokeflavourings will be adopted soon.

Cocoa butter in chocolate can be replacedby upto 5% by cocoa butter equivalents.Methods developed at IRMM help to assesscompliance with labelling.

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Automatic sample changer.

Cocoa butter and foreign fats in chocolate

The new Chocolate Directive (2000/36/EC) allows theaddition of up to 5% of the so-called cocoa butterequivalents (CBE) in chocolate. The CBE resemble thechemical composition and physical properties of cocoabutter very closely. To assess compliance with labellingvery sensitive methods for detection are needed. Insupport of the Directive, IRMM has developed methodsfor the detection and determination of CBEs in choco-late. A long-term JRC project has shown that the analy-sis of triglycerides, the main components, is the mostsuitable approach for this challenging analytical prob-lem. Using the certified cocoa butter reference materialof IRMM, two analytical approaches have been devel-oped: a method for the detection and a method for thequantification of the CBEs. Both have been validated byan intercomparison study on European level in 2002. Allresults will be published in 2003.

Organic food

Interest in organic food is growing, as consumers aremore conscious about the types of fresh products theyeat and the way that it is grown. Scientific work has al-ready been carried out on different aspects of organicfood mainly regarding its safety (e.g. pesticides, antibi-otics, mycotoxins and nitrates) and its nutritional ben-efits in order to appreciate the specificity and eventual-ly the superiority of organic food. During 2002 IRMMstarted a feasibility study on the characterisation of or-ganically produced food and on the possibility to dis-tinguish between organic and conventional products.

Appropriate analytical methods have been compiledand networking with the relevant laboratories from var-ious organisations was started up. Out of the potentialmethods to authenticate an organic product one meth-od based on bio-crystallisation or copper chloride crys-tallisation and one on analysis of genes regulated by ni-trate-mediated signalling have been selected for furtherdevelopment and optimising in 2003. Authentication bycomparing contamination levels was studied togetherwith the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) by analys-ing mycotoxins in breakfast cereals deriving from or-ganic production. The results of the survey will be pub-lished in 2003. Furthermore, IRMM participated inwriting of a working paper under the responsibility ofthe Directorate-General for Agriculture that analysesthe possibility for a European Action Plan for organicfood and farming.

Sucralose

Sucralose is a relatively new intense sweetener alreadyapproved in several countries and is undergoing theprocess for approval in the European Union. As limitsare foreseen to range from the lower part-per-millionrange to 0.1% in food products reliable analytical meth-ods are necessary. Two analytical approaches were de-veloped and validated in-house at IRMM and will be ful-ly validated during 2003/2004 for further transfer toCEN.

ContactProf. Dr. Elke AnklamTel. +32 (0)14 571 316Fax +32 (0)14 584 273elke.anklam@cec.eu.int

IRMM investigates ways to differentiatebetween organically and conventionally

produced food.

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IRMM has one of the most advanced facilities in Europefor the high accuracy measurement of isotope ratios ina range of materials, including gases, organic substanc-es (e.g. related to food analysis), industrial materialsand environmental samples. It has a series of high per-formance mass spectrometers (thermal ionisation andelectron bombardment ionisation mass spectrometers,inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers, gassource isotope ratio mass spectrometers) and an ultra-clean chemical laboratory for sample preparation.

The major research lines focus on primary isotopicmeasurements, performing inorganic isotope dilutionmass spectrometry for certification and calibration pur-poses and the production of primary and isotopic certi-fied reference materials for environmental, clinical, oc-cupational health, food, nutritional or material scienceapplications, as well as for nuclear and environmentalsafeguards applications. These measurement capabili-ties are recognised internationally via the Mutual Rec-ognition Arrangement of the International Committeeon Weights and Measures (CIPM-MRA).

IRMM organises international measurement evaluationprogrammes (IMEP) for chemical laboratories to demon-strate their measurement ability, provides for qualitycontrol for nuclear safeguards laboratories and organi-sation of proficiency testing for analysis of uranium andplutonium containing materials (REIMEP) and nuclearsignatures in the environment (NUSIMEP).

Metrology in chemistry

In 1999 IRMM signed the CIPM-MRA on behalf of theEuropean Commission together with all its peers, thenational measurement institutes from more than 40countries. This arrangement forms a cornerstone of theinternational measurement infrastructure, as it providesa mechanism for the global recognition of measurementstandards, including certified reference materials. ForIRMM to have its measurement capability and standardsrecognised, it needs to interact within this system. Forchemical measurements this is done via the Consulta-tive Committee for Chemistry (CCQM), where IRMMplays a leading role e.g. by piloting key comparisons. Atthe European Union level, this takes place via the tech-nical committee of the Association of European Metrol-ogy Institutes (EUROMET) and EURACHEM organisation.IRMM contributes with experimental and conceptual in-put, so as to produce a measurement system in line withneeds of the European Union. In 2002 IRMM participat-ed in two shared cost actions (Metrotrade and Regmet),to improve the interface between metrology, trade andregulatory bodies. A seminar was organised in May atIRMM.

Working in the ultra-cleanchemical laboratory.

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A high-precision gas source mass spectrometerused for the isotope analysis of volatile and

gaseous samples.

Isotopic Measurements

Reliable references for isotopic measurements

In line with IRMM’s mission isotopic measurements areindispensable tools. Reference values obtained e.g. byusing the technique of isotope dilution, are used forvalue assignment in interlaboratory comparisons or forvalue assignment on certified reference materials, as il-lustrated with some recent achievements.

Osteoporosis is a widespread disease resulting in bonedeterioration as a consequence of loss of calcium. Re-cently, administering the non-natural long-lived 41Caisotope to humans is being used as a novel and power-ful tool, e.g. to assess gene-nutrient interaction, theeffect of life style (sports, smoking etc.) as well as theeffectiveness of new drugs. IRMM has produced an iso-topic reference material containing 41Ca that can beused for the calibration of such measurements. It hasalso characterised dose material that was later adminis-tered to people in a clinical study.

In the food metrology area, IRMM has successfully cer-tified the lead content in a tuna fish sample that will beused in a CCQM Key comparison. The same sample willeventually be used in the interlaboratory comparisonIMEP-20 (Hg, Pb, As, Se and methyl mercury / contami-nants in tuna fish), relevant to Commission Regulation(EC) No 466/2001 (contaminants in foodstuff). In thesame field, it has also successfully participated in theinternational benchmarking activity CCQM-P13 by pro-viding high quality results for copper, lead and cadmiumcontent, hence underpinning measurement capabilityclaims in this area. It has certified the Pb, Cu, Cd and Zncontents in a rice sample in the framework of the CCQM-K24 and CCQM-P29, EUROMET 565 and the IMEP-19project.

IRMM runs the Joint European Programme for PrimaryIsotopic Measurements (JEPPIM), a network of labora-tories with complementary competence in this area. Aspart of a project with the National Physical Laboratory(UK), collaborative research was performed to assess anovel way of measuring CO2 concentrations and carbonisotope ratios, relevant in the area of global climatechange research. In a project together with the Bunde-sanstalt für Materialprüfung (DE) and Laboratory of theGovernment Chemist (UK), a novel procedure was devel-oped for certifying the sulfur content in fuel, at levelswhich are regulated in the directives of the EuropeanUnion. Other reference measurements of the carbon iso-topes were performed on international organic isotopiccertified reference materials, which are increasinglyused in novel hyphenated techniques to determine theorigin of products (authentication) or the process towhich materials have been subjected (adulteration).

In the framework of the international Avogadro project,where seven world leading national measurement insti-tutes are involved, IRMM has produced certificates forreference values for silicon isotope ratios. The aim ofthis project is to redefine the kilogram (currently de-fined using an artefact) based on an operational defini-tion linked to a procedure to measure the Avogadroconstant. In collaboration with Harvard University(USA), a method to quantify micro-defects in siliconsingle crystals was developed, based on diffusion ofcopper in such samples. Additionally, measurementswere made on the highly enriched 28SiF4 gas from Russia(Nizhni Novgorod; ISTC project) which will be used bythe international consortium to produce the novel sin-gle silicon crystal (28Si enrichment of over 99.99%).

A silicon sphere for the Avogadro project.

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Interlaboratory comparisons

To support a common European measurement system inthe area of chemical analysis, IRMM organises Interna-tional Measurement Evaluation Programmes (IMEP) forkey chemical laboratories to demonstrate their meas-urement ability to themselves, to external assessors orto end users of such results (e.g. governmental bodies).These activities take place in the framework of the col-laboration with the European Co-operation on Accredi-tation (EA) and support some of the Community Refer-ence Laboratories. The REIMEP (Regular EuropeanInterlaboratory Measurement Evaluation Programme)provides for quality control for nuclear safeguards labo-ratories and organisation of proficiency testing for anal-ysis of uranium and plutonium containing materials,and the NUSIMEP (Nuclear Signatures InternationalMeasurement Evaluation Programme) for nuclear signa-tures in the environment. In areas which are close tothe policies of the European Union, IRMM additionallypilots interlaboratory comparisons for the CCQM andEUROMET, thus offering the European laboratoriesbenchmarking possibilities at the highest metrologicallevel.

In 2002 IRMM completed the IMEP-15 (elements in wa-ter), for the World Meteorology Organisation (WMO).The report was made accessible via the web-site of theWMO QA/SAC, which is part of the Global AtmosphereWatch (GAW) programme. The participants of IMEP-19(Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb in rice) and participants of IMEP-17(trace and minor constituents in human serum: Ca, Cl,Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Se, Zn, Glucose, Cholesterol, Creati-nine, Urea, Ureic acid, Thyroxine (T4), Albumine, IgG,Amylase, GGT) from 36 countries (20% from candidatecountries) received their certificates. The IMEP-17 wasorganised in close collaboration with the Committee forAnalytical Quality of the International Federation forClinical Chemistry (C-AQ IFCC) and members of the Euro-pean Committee for External Quality Assurance Pro-grammes in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM). It assists thelaboratory medicine and clinical community to evaluatethe degree of international comparability for selectedmeasurements in serum. This is also in support of theDirective 98/79/EC and Member States’ legislation.

In 2002 IRMM was involved in several CCQM andEUROMET exercises. The EUROMET rounds 528 (water),563 (serum), 565 (rice), 566 (fuel) were completed and548 (sediment) and 568 (wine) were published. IRMM’sthird evaluation round for nuclear signatures in the en-vironment (NUSIMEP 3 - Uranium isotopic abundancesin saline solutions) was also completed in 2002.

IRMM organises International Measurement EvaluationProgrammes and provides samples with certified rangesof the property to be measured.

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Nuclear safeguards

IRMM is one of the world’s largest suppliers of nuclearisotopic reference materials and spikes. Recently, a newset of reference materials for isotopic abundances of theminor isotopes of uranium has been prepared and certi-fied. This is the first set world-wide of this type of iso-topic reference materials. A set of global isotopic refer-ence materials of uranium, in collaboration with theNew Brunswick Laboratory (USA) is under development.The so-called large size dried uranium and plutoniumspikes have been a success. The spikes are well suitedfor the analysis of the amounts of uranium or plutoniumby isotope dilution in dissolved nuclear fuel. The tech-nique was originally proposed and developed at IRMMand after an extensive study, carried out by the JRC In-stitute for Transuranium Elements (Karlsruhe), has beenaccepted at La Hague (F) and Sellafield (UK) sites asthe technique of preference at the on-site laboratories.

The preparation and certification of uranium isotopicreference materials by mixing in the gas phase as UF6

was successfully applied to the preparation of materialsfor a REIMEP and NUSIMEP campaign. The method ap-plied for the preparation and certification is recognisedas the best applied anywhere in the world.

IRMM has also certified the 235U/238U isotopic ratio in 35urine samples with levels below 50 pg mL-1 in collabora-tion with and for the University of Ghent (BE). As thesesamples came from people allegedly contaminated withuranium of non-natural isotopic composition, extrememeasurement reliability was required and provided. Amethod was developed and applied inside the IRMM ul-tra-clean chemical laboratory.

Radionuclide reference materials certifiedfor isotopic ratios.

ContactDr. Philip TaylorTel. +32 (0)14 571 605Fax +32 (0)14 571 863philip.taylor@cec.eu.int

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The neutron data measurements at IRMM are part of thegeneral IRMM programme on reference measurements inchemistry and physics related to fundamental materialproperties. Neutron induced cross-sections are the basicdata required for the assessment of safety aspects ofnuclear energy production and the nuclear fuel cycle,and for model calculations for the design of advancednew concepts. The primary customers are internationalorganisations such as the Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development (OECD) and the Interna-tional Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) who maintain databases of experimental as well as evaluated neutron data.

IRMM houses a 150 MeV linear electron accelerator (GE-LINA) and a 7 MV light-ion Van de Graaff (VdG) acceler-ator. In combination with a uranium target GELINA is apulsed white neutron source, where the time-of-flightmethod is used to determine the energy of the interact-ing neutrons in the energy range covering 11 decadesfrom 1 meV up to 20 MeV. The GELINA facility has beendesigned and built especially for the purpose of makinghigh-resolution neutron cross-section measurements. Itis unique in the world for the unsurpassed time resolu-tion in combination with an array of flight paths up to400 m long on which up to 12 experiments can be car-ried out simultaneously. At the VdG facility quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams are produced in the ener-gy range up to 24 MeV by nuclear reactions of protonand deuteron ion beams on lithium, deuterium or tri-tium targets. Especially in the MeV neutron energy do-

main where the resonance structure of the cross-sections is averaged out, the VdG neutron facility is thecomplementary device, where the experimental condi-tions become more favourable. IRMM has specialisedequipment for neutron-induced total, capture, fission,charged-particle emission and activation cross sectionmeasurements and the study of related reaction param-eters.

IRMM has a long-standing expertise in the field of neu-tron data measurements and is recognised worldwide.IRMM has the capability to investigate the interactionof neutrons with matter in a systematic and completeway, and thereby to play a leading role in the establish-ment of the required complete neutron database.

Work programme

The work programme focuses mainly on neutron datastandards and high-quality data for the safety assess-ments of nuclear installations, innovative systems, andfacilities for nuclear waste transmutation. The need formore stringent safety margins results in an increaseddemand for higher accuracies, both in the model codesand in the basic data. Accurate microscopic neutron da-ta are essential for production of accurate pointwisehigh-resolution data for the reduction of uncertaintiesin evaluated data files and improvement of model calcu-lations for interpolation and extrapolation to hithertounknown data.

The switching magnet and the seven beam lines ofthe Van de Graaff accelerator.

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Steering coils of GELINA.

Neutron Physics

For these applications a complete and accurate neu-tronic database is required which is freely accessible toscientists and engineers working in various disciplines.Databases of experimental as well as evaluated neutrondata are maintained by the Nuclear Energy Agency(NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operationand Development (OECD). In particular the JEFF (JointEuropean Fission and Fusion) project of evaluated neu-tron data is intended to become a complete library forroutine applications in the various areas of science andtechnology. The detailed requirements for neutron datameasurements are collected in a high priority requestlist that is edited by the Working Party on InternationalEvaluation Co-operation of the OECD.

The majority of basic and applied measurements in neu-tron physics are relative to reference standards. It istherefore essential that these standards are continuous-ly improved and understood in their basic physicalproperties. The OECD and the Data Center of IAEA bothhave neutron standards subcommittees to identifyneeds and improvements of new and established stand-ards and to regularly update the neutron standards datafiles. An important part of the activities of IRMM is de-voted to the very accurate measurement of neutronstandards, thereby contributing to the improvement ofthe standards file.

For accurate neutron data two energy domains need tobe distinguished:• Resonance region: in this energy domain the neutron

cross-sections reveal a complicated resonance struc-ture. Therefore, experiments with very high-energyresolution over the whole spectrum are required. Thisis only possible at dedicated time-of-flight facilitiessuch as the GELINA facility at Geel.

• Average region: in this energy domain, the width ofthe resonances approaches the resonance spacingand the overlapping cross-sections exhibit asmoothed energy dependence. Measurements withmono-energetic neutrons are preferable, usually ob-tained using nuclear reactions. At Geel, these meas-urements can be carried out at the 7 MV Van de Graaffaccelerator.

Neutron data for the assessmentof waste transmutation strategies

A satisfactory solution to the problem of nuclear wastedisposal is a necessary condition for the public accept-ance of nuclear energy in the European Union. The re-search efforts focus on the transmutation of long-livedradioactive isotopes in nuclear waste into short-lived orstable isotopes via neutron capture or fission reactions.The goal is to burn the long-lived fission products andminor actinides such as Np, Am, and Cm isotopes by ex-posing these materials to high neutron fluxes.

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The OECD nuclear data network

IAEA-INDC

BROND

ENDF

CENDL

JENDL

Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency

WPEC

Nuclear Scientific Committee

NEA Databank

OECD

JEFF

52Cr samples viewed by two Ge detectors at a neutrontime-of-flight station of the GELINA.

Set-up for activation cross-section measurements in frontof the titanium-tritium target for neutron production atthe end of a Van de Graaff beamline.

Among the long-lived radiotoxic isotopes in nuclearwaste 99Tc, 129I, and 135Cs are especially dangerous be-cause of their solubility and, therefore, geological mo-bility. These isotopes could be transmuted via neutroncapture into short-lived isotopes decaying to stable endproducts. After the previous very successful measure-ments on 99Tc, a second measurement campaign on 129Ihas been carried out in collaboration with the FrenchNuclear Centre (CEA) and the n-TOF collaboration at theEuropean Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).Concerning the minor actinides, the analysis of the ex-tensive experimental data on total absorption cross-sections on 237Np measured at the GELINA facility incollaboration with CEA was finalised and will be com-plemented by capture measurements at the n-TOF facil-ity at CERN.

One of the envisaged options for transmutation of nu-clear waste are accelerator driven systems (ADS), com-bining a subcritical core with a spallation source. Mostprobably, a liquid Pb or liquid Pb-Bi spallation targetwill be used. An important peculiarity is the much hard-er neutron spectrum in the target, extending to ener-gies up to several GeV depending on the accelerator.However, due to the fast moderation of these neutronsthe most important energy range is below 20 MeV, wellaccessible at IRMM. Part of the work programme ofIRMM concentrated on establishing a high-quality neu-tron database for reactions and materials relevant forADS design studies i.e. transmission and capture meas-urements on 206Pb and activation and inelastic scatter-ing cross-section measurements on structural materials.In particular, a large number of activation cross sec-tions of the isotopes of nickel, cobalt, copper and zirco-nium were measured at energies between 14 and 20MeV.

Safety aspects of presentlyoperating power plants

The safety of reactors, especially when consideringmodifications or changes of the mode of operation re-lies on accurate calculations for predictability and un-derstanding of reactor operation. Of particular impor-tance to such calculations are the main parametersdetermining the neutronics of the system such as themean number of prompt neutrons, the mean number ofdelayed neutrons and the time constants of delayedneutron yields, which depend on fuel composition andthe neutron spectrum. The neutron spectrum in turn isdetermined by the fission neutron spectrum and inelas-tic scattering cross sections. Another important aspectof reactor safety is the integrity of structural compo-nents.

The understanding of the neutron spectrum and the cal-culation of the number of prompt emitted neutronshave very much been improved taking into account themost recent advances in the theory of the fission proc-ess based on the multi-modal fission theory. Several ac-tivities have been started together with theoreticalgroups from Candidate Countries for the improvement ofthe theoretical modeling of fission fragment yields dis-tributions and neutron multiplicities and spectra, basedon measurements performed at IRMM. Cross-sections forneutron induced fission on 235U were evaluated in theframe of the multi-modal fission theory and measure-ments on the neutron induced fission of 234U and 239Puhave been carried out. Prompt fission neutron multi-plicities and spectra were evaluated for neutron-induced fission on 235U and spontaneous fission of 252Cfin the frame of the same theoretical model.

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Another important aspect of reactor operation safety isthe criticality behaviour with varying temperature. Dueto the thermal vibration of the nuclei inside the fuel,the Doppler effect results in a broadening of neutronresonances, which affects the neutron self-shieldingand may result in considerable changes of the criticali-ty. Data on hafnium and plutonium isotopes have beenmeasured at different temperatures and are being inter-preted using accurate microscopic models taking intoconsideration the phonon spectra in the crystallograph-ic structure of the material.

Neutron data for the thorium fuel cycle

The thorium fuel cycle promises major radiotoxicity ad-vantages compared to the presently used U-Pu cycle.The production of major (Pu-isotopes) and minor (Npand Cm-isotopes) actinides would be negligible andsuch a reactor could even be used to burn the stockpileof plutonium, two aspects which make this option veryattractive with regards to non-proliferation issues. 232This the most important isotope in the thorium cycle,since it is the seed for the production of the fissile fuel233U via capture of a neutron and successive beta de-cays.

At GELINA, total and capture cross-sections were meas-ured in the resonance region and at higher energies, upto 150 keV. Theoretical studies are under way to deter-mine the average resonance parameters from capturemeasurements at these high energies. A key isotope inthe thorium cycle is 233Pa since it is the intermediatestep from the 232Th fertile material to the 233U fissile ma-terial. The present evaluated nuclear data libraries(ENDF/B-VI and JENDL-3.2) differ by approximately afactor two for this reaction cross-section. There are se-rious technical difficulties involved in measuring thefission cross-section of 233Pa, e.g. its short half-life,high radioactivity and the in-growth of the daughterproduct 233U. Therefore it has been deemed not feasibleto measure this reaction directly. However, at IRMM thefirst ever direct measurements of the 233Pa neutron-induced fission cross-sections were performed success-fully at the high-intensity neutron beamline of the Vande Graaff accelerator in collaboration with the Universi-ty of Örebro and the University of Uppsala. These exper-iments are presently ongoing and the results will be thesubject for a new evaluation together with theoreticalgroups from the Candidate Countries. The results willimprove considerably the quality of the data file, remov-ing large discrepancies in the predictions of this fissioncross-section in the evaluated data libraries.

Neutron charged particle spectrometer.Comparison of the IRMM excitation function of the10B(n, α)7Li reaction with other experimental andevaluated data.

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Neutron data standards

Ever since its existence, IRMM has put a special empha-sis on the improvement of measurement standards. Inthe field of neutron standards IRMM is the only Europe-an laboratory capable of providing the required cross-section data over the complete neutron energy rangefrom a few meV up to about 20 MeV.

The cross-section for neutron induced alfa-particle pro-duction on 10B is one of the most important neutronmeasurement standards. This cross-section is of greatimportance for nuclear medicine, e.g. for boron neutroncapture therapy. Although well established for thermalneutrons, at higher neutron energies severe inconsist-encies in the experimen tal results exist. Also, there arelarge experimental uncertainties in the database for thebranching ratios of this reaction, leading to the groundstate and first excited state in the residual nucleus 7Li.

At the Van de Graaff laboratory, the cross-sections andabove-mentioned branching ratios have been measuredusing a novel one-dimensional time projection chamberand a new data acquisition system based on fast signaldigitisers. The measurements have been complementedby measurements of the branching ratio at lower ener-gies at the GELINA facility. As a by-product of these in-vestigations, the effect of particle leaking has been dis-covered, which has severe implications on the inter-pretation of measurements of neutron induced charged-particle emission on light elements using ionisationchambers.

ContactProf. Dr. Peter RullhusenTel. +32 (0)14 571 476Fax +32 (0)14 571 862peter.rullhusen@cec.eu.int

Time Projection Chamber spectrometer atthe 0º beam line of the Van de Graaffaccelerator.

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Reliable assessment of α-, β- and γ-radiation is of greatimportance in the fields of environmental monitoring,medicine, radioprotection or nuclear safeguards. IRMMis specialised in accurate radioactivity mesurements,and develops and improves techniques for measuringthe radioactive content of various materials, from verylow to high radioactivity levels.

Work on radionuclide metrology is carried out in closeco-operation with other European primary standardslaboratories under the auspices of the association ofEuropean Metrology Institutes (EUROMET), the Interna-tional Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and itsConsultative Committee for Ionising Radiation (CCRI),the International Committee for Radionuclide Metrology(ICRM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA). An important task on behalf of the EuropeanCommission is to help build and maintain a structuredmeasurement system in radionuclide metrology.

The traceability of IRMM’s reference values to the SIunit of radioactivity and the demonstrated equivalenceof its measurement results to those of BIPM and the na-tional metrology institutes world-wide underpin its ac-ceptance as provider of intercomparisons to the fieldlaboratories. IRMM has been requested to organise an-nual intercomparisons among the European laboratoriesresponsible in their countries for the monitoring of en-vironmental radioactivity, starting with the year 2003.

IRMM has more than 40 years experience in radioactivi-ty measurements at the highest level of accuracy. It hasmeticulously developed and built up a range of special-ised equipment both for direct counting (4πβ-γ-coincidence methods, 4πγ-counting, 4πβγ-sum count-ing, 4π-CsI detector for ε-, β, γ, X-ray), for counting ata defined-solid-angle (α and X-ray) and for relativemeasurement methods such as liquid scintillationcounting and ionisation chambers. In an undergroundlaboratory HADES at the Belgian Nuclear Centre(SCK•CEN) IRMM operates 4 HPGe detectors for ultra-low level γ-spectrometry. This specially designed arrayof equipment enables the laboratory to embrace themost challenging tasks in radionuclide metrology.

Primary standards and measurements

IRMM carries out primary radioactivity measurements atthe highest level of accuracy. It participates in and or-ganises international Key Comparisons for radioactivitymeasurements among international and national me-trology institutes and is developing the future WorldPrimary Standard of radioactivity for the BIPM. It sup-ports the establishment of the BIPM database of cali-bration and measurement capabilities, which forms thebasis for the demonstration of mutual equivalence inmeasurements throughout the world (Appendix C of theCIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement).

Preparation of gold coated thin foil substratesfor radioactive sources.

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Radionuclide Metrology

In 2002 IRMM was involved in three Key Comparisons ofthe CCRI:• IRMM prepared a 65Zn solution for the participants in

a Key Comparison organised in 2003. Measurementsby two ionisation chambers showed the samples werehomogeneous within 0.04%. Two ampoules were re-measured at regular intervals throughout the year, toaccurately determine the Zn half-life. These meas-urements are still ongoing.

• IRMM has standardised the radioactivity concentra-tion of the short-lived radionuclide 32P in a solutionwhere significant impurities of 33P and 35S were iden-tified. Since the Key Comparison rendered two groupsof results among the participating national metrolo-gy institutes with an as yet unexplained difference ofabout 4%, a follow-up comparison is planned for2004 in order to resolve the present discrepancies.

• In a recent Key Comparison of 204Tl, unusually largediscrepancies were found among the results of theparticipating laboratories. An additional study byIRMM to find the reason for these deviations pointedto self-absorption of radioactivity within the sourcematerial. To avoid the effects of self-absorption theuse of a lower amount of carrier or a novel fast sourcedrying technique was recommended. A new Key Com-parison was organised in 2002, and due to the im-provements in sample preparation the results of thedifferent laboratories were in much better agree-ment. IRMM submitted a mean value obtained by fourindependent counting methods which was close tothe median of the results from all participating labo-ratories.

For an EUROMET project that aims at improving theknowledge on the characteristics of the α-decay of themost important fissile nuclide 235U, IRMM has preparedthe 235U sources. They contained about 2 Bq each, witha thickness of 22 µg cm-2. The source material was high-ly enriched in 235U (99.993%) to suppress the radioac-tivity contribution of other uranium isotopes. Com-pared to the sources previously made available to theparticipants the radioactivity contribution by other ura-nium isotopes was reduced by a factor of 18. Moreover,the small layer thickness of the source allows for carry-ing out α-spectrometry with superior energy resolution.In the process, IRMM developed a high efficiency vacu-um evaporation cell to overcome the difficulty present-ed by the limited availability of the highly enriched ura-nium material.

In the field of primary measurements IRMM has in part-nership with three other Radionuclide Metrology labora-tories in Europe, created the Virtual European Radionu-clide Metrology Institute (VERMI), which aims tobecome the focal point in radionuclide metrology in theEuropean Research Area. Its main objectives are tosolve basic problems in primary radioactivity standardi-sation, develop and improve methods and train youngresearchers.

The low solid angle α-counter is usedfor standardisation of α-emitters.

The link between the SI unit of radioactivity and intercomparisonsfor monitoring laboratories can be established with the referencevalue provided by IRMM.

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Certification of radionuclide reference materials

In 2001 IRMM joined in an IAEA co-ordinated researchproject entitled “Upgrading of Analytical Quality Con-trol Services intercomparison materials to reference ma-terials with assigned property values traceable to theInternational System of Units” to characterise milkpowder and soil reference materials for radioactivity.Radioactivity levels in milk and soil are of particularconcern since milk is an important component of hu-man nutrition, especially for children, and soil is a nat-ural matrix important in environmental monitoring.

Two reference materials, namely IAEA-152 milk powderand IAEA-375 soil have been analysed at IRMM non-destructively by γ-spectrometry. A radiochemical proce-dure based on microwave digestion or leaching, fol-lowed by extraction chromatography was developed toseparate the actinides together with radon and stron-tium from their matrices. The activities of the actinidesand 226Ra are to be measured by α-spectrometry, whilethat of 90Sr will be determined by ultra-low level liquidscintillation counting. After extensive validation of themethods, assaying is in progress.

In 2002 IRMM participated also in an intercomparisonexercise of the World Health Organization – Interna-tional Reference Center for Radioactivity by measuringtritium, gross α-activity, gross β-activity and potassi-um content in drinking water, another important com-ponent of human nutrition and of the environment.

Ultra-low level γ-spectrometryin an underground laboratory

The ability to perform ultra-low level radioactivitymeasurements is becoming increasingly important es-pecially in the fields of medicine, radioprotection andnuclear safeguards. IRMM performs ultra-low level γ-spectrometry in a laboratory located 223 m belowground (HADES at the SCK•CEN). In an undergroundmeasuring station the radiation detectors used are bet-ter shielded from cosmic rays than above ground. Hencemeasurement sensitivity far superior to what is possibleabove ground can be obtained.

Some recent projects at HADES include:• studies for medical research such as measuring 210Pb

in human bones to provide essential information formodeling the 210Pb distribution,

• safeguarding issues such as measuring swipe samplestaken at the vicinity of nuclear installations by theinspectors of the European Atomic Energy Community(EURATOM),

• safety issues such as assessing the neutron fluence inbuildings near the site of the JCO Company in Japanwhere there was an uncontrolled nuclear chain reac-tion in September 1999,

• measuring samples activated by the atomic bomb inHiroshima in 1945 that are studied to improve basicunderstanding of radiation effects on humans,

• measuring German steel samples to assess thepresent activity levels; the activity levels are expect-ed to increase when the steel from decommissioningof nuclear installations will enter the steel cycle,

γ-spectrum of a piece of steel from Hiroshimatogether with the background spectra above groundand in HADES.

Classical atmospheric β−γ-coincidencespectrometer used for primarystandarisation measurements.

31

• radiopurity tests on materials that will be used in theneutrino detector of the BOREXINO collaboration;IRMM is a member in this collaboration that aims tomeasure solar neutrinos using a gigantic scintillationdetector in the Italian Gran Sasso Laboratory,

• establishing the CELLAR network (Collaboration of Eu-ropean Low Level Underground Laboratories) togeth-er with Europe's leading underground laboratoriesperforming γ-measurements; the network aims topromote higher quality and sensitivity in ultra-lowlevel activity measurements for the improvement ofradiological emergency management, environment,health and consumer protection standards in Europe,

• developing a passive and robust measurement tech-nique using neutron activation for high sensitivityneutron dosimetry with spectral information for radi-ation protection purposes.

It is deemed possible to further reduce the backgroundcounting rate in the detectors employed in HADES, andthus to increase the measurement sensitivity. To thisend, IRMM is at present studying coincidence tech-niques and active shields and is performing time-interval studies in HADES.

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ContactDr. Uwe WätjenTel. +32 (0)14 571 882Fax +32 (0)14 584 273uwe.waetjen@cec.eu.int

In 2000 the European Research Area (ERA) initiativewas put forward to better organise and integrate re-search activities in the European Union. Importanttools for realising the ERA are training of researchers,permitting access and use of JRC research infrastruc-tures, a dedicated effort in support of enlargement,networking and developing common scientific referencesystems.

Training and access to infrastructure

IRMM hosts an increasing number of non-permanentscientists and in particular, scientists from the Candi-date Countries. In 2002 57 visiting scientist and grand-holders were registered working at IRMM.

The accelerator laboratories are being increasingly de-voted to basic education and training to ensure a highlevel of competence in the nuclear field. Traditionallymost of the experiments are carried out in the frame ofdoctoral thesis but recently the number of short-termvisits has increased. In 2002 a total of 31 scientific vis-itors from other institutions came to Geel for short-termvisits to perform experiments.

In addition to the exchange of scientific knowledgethrough mobility of scientists, IRMM provides special-ised training courses. The IRMM training programme onmetrology in chemistry (TrainMiC) that was created forthe Candidate Countries, offers training for scientistsfrom research laboratories and universities, as well asofficials in ministries or staff from enforcement bodiesand industry. The courses comprise working groups,seminars and practical training sessions. The pro-gramme covers issues like estimating uncertainty ofchemical measurements, traceability of chemical meas-urements, priority setting of metrology in chemistry,use of certified reference materials, use of interlabora-tory comparisons and validation of methods. In 2002alone, 19 scientists were trained at IRMM and 370 cer-tificates were awarded at specialised workshops in theircountries.

Enlargement

Following the association of 10 Candidate Countries tothe 5th Framework Programme, the JRC started a specificaction in support of the enlargement process. Theproject aimed at developing ties with research organi-sations and enforcement laboratories in the CandidateCountries and encouraged activities to stimulate ex-change and transfer of knowledge, networking and mo-bility.

IRMM has offered support to the Candidate Countries insetting up an internationally structured measurementsystem for chemical measurements in Europe. Thisproject had a very high impact on the Candidate Coun-tries' metrology infrastructure. In the last two years na-tional reports on the status of metrology infrastructurein the Candidate Countries have been elaborated. As afollow-up, improvements based on a total quality man-agement method are under way in seven countries. 500experts from the Candidate Countries have been trainedin metrology in chemistry so far, in workshops organ-ised at IRMM or locally. In total, 15 events took place inseven different countries. 300 certified reference mate-rials have been distributed to the laboratories of theCandidate Countries free of charge. The measurementcapabilities of about 700 laboratories were bench-marked in various critical measurement areas linked tothe directives of the European Union. 18 grantholders,visiting scientists and seconded national expertsworked at IRMM in this project for various durations and9 experts stayed for short training visits (1-2 weeks).20 events were sponsored by IRMM where metrology inchemistry and reliable measurements were put in thefocus. Staff from IRMM gave lectures at more than 20 ofsuch events.

Support has been offered also in the field of food safetyand quality in setting up a network of food control lab-oratories. This action aims at harmonisation of analy-tical methods following the Directives of the EuropeanUnion. Workshops on the state-of-the-art regardingfood analytical methodologies in Candidate Countriesand on mycotoxin analysis have been organised andtraining on PCB/dioxin analysis using a screeningmethod has been given.

TrainMiC is a European Commission funded training platformto foster advanced professional training on generic issuesrelated to the measurement science in chemical measurements,i.e. metrology in chemistry.

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Contributing to the European Research Area

In the field of neutron data extensive collaborationwith the scientists from the Candidate Countries hasbeen established. Most Candidate Countries generate asubstantial amount of their electricity from nuclear en-ergy. Nuclear safety is an important part of the long-term policy of the European Union, and this has cer-tainly to include the safety of nuclear installations inthe Candidate Countries. The integration of scientistsinto the neutron data network of the European Unionwill ensure harmonisation of the basic aspects of nucle-ar safety. Yet another aspect is preserving and develop-ing the knowledge in the area of neutron data measure-ments and neutron data evaluation. Under this specificaction 10 visiting scientists or national detached ex-perts and 3 grantholders have participated in the exper-imental activities of the accelerator laboratories atIRMM, and carried out modeling and evaluation of datameasured at IRMM. This way, the Candidate Countriesare involved also in the relevant international pro-grammes, especially the Joint European Fission and Fu-sion file (JEFF) coordinated by the Organisation for Eco-nomic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Networking and reference systems

IRMM is networking through over 60 cooperation agree-ments with universities, research institutes, authoritiesand international organisations, most of them in theMember States and Candidate Countries. Presently IRMMis active in over 25 European and global networks relat-ed to its research areas. Through its reference materials,nuclear data and by organising and participating inmeasurement evaluation programmes and comparisons,IRMM contributes to the developing of reference sys-tems that provide support to the implementation of Eu-ropean legislation.

On 14th November 2002, 43 scientists from 11Candidate Countries got together at IRMM toparticipate in a JRC Enlargement Meeting.

Visiting scientists from the Candidate Countries:Emilia Vassileva (BG), Ewa Bulska (PL) andSteluta Duta (ROM).

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Human resources

At the end of year 2002 the total number of staff atIRMM was 242 persons. A conscious effort has beenmade over the years to improve the gender balance sit-uation at the Institute. Since 1995 the number of wom-en working at the Institute has increased graduallyreaching an overall 28% in 2002 while 39% of the visit-ing staff and 23% of the core staff were women, includ-ing three unit heads out of eight.

Special attention has been paid to training of staff. Thenumber of courses that staff members have attendedhas almost doubled since 2001 and the number of man-days spent in training was close to 1400 with an aver-age of 6.5 per person. Training was mainly given in in-formatics, laboratory techniques, safety and security is-sues and languages. The introduction of a new CareerDevelopment System in the European Commission haslead to extensive training in the evaluation/reviewtechniques.

M F TotalOfficials 80 23 103Temporary agents on 5-year renewable contracts 47 16 63Temporary agents on 3-year non-renewable contracts 2 1 3Total 129 40 169

S T A F F *

*end-of-year situation

M F TotalPost-graduate grant holders 8 3 11Post-doctoral grant holders 20 8 28Visiting scientists 6 4 10Seconded national experts 5 3 8Auxiliaries 14 16 30Total 53 34 87

V I S I T I N G S T A F F

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

01998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Number of training actionsNumber of courses

The Institute in figures

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Budget

The Institute budget consists of institutional creditscoming directly from the JRC budget for the FifthFramework Programme; specific credits like appropria-tions for decommissioning of nuclear facilities and sup-port to Candidate Countries; and the competitive in-come. The institutional credits can be subdivided intostaff expenses, means of execution (technical and ad-ministrative support) and operational appropriations(direct scientific activities). The competitive incomecomprises shared cost actions under the Framework Pro-gramme, work for third parties and the sales of refer-ence materials.

In 2002 IRMM saw a significant increase in the compet-itive activities, due to increased number of contractswith the Directorate-General for Health and ConsumerProtection. The competitive income made up 9% of thetotal budget. The year 2002 marks the end of the 5th

Framework Programme. It is therefore interesting to re-view the development of the competitive activities atthe Institute (figure below). The overall increase incompetitive income, as compared to 4th Framework Pro-gramme and the increasing trend towards the end ofboth programmes, strongly suggests that there is a highdemand for the services and products that IRMM offers.

2002 2001Staff expenses 18.6 17.4Means of execution 7.0 8.1Operational appropriations 4.2 4.8Total 29.8 30.3

I N S T I T U T I O N A L B U D G E T *

*M€

2002 2001Decommissioning of nuclear facilities 1328 2650Support to Candidate Countries 1280 994Total 2608 3644

S P E C I F I C C R E D I T S *

*k€

2002 2001Shared-cost activities 1501 559Work for third parties 222 364BCR Reference material sales 1451 1440Total 3174 2363

C O M P E T I T I V E A C T I V I T I E S *

*k€

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Publications

IRMM has always been active in disseminating the re-sults of its research. In addition to articles published inrefereed scientific journals and conference proceedings,valuable information can be found in the EUR reports

rr

and special publications, like the certification reportsand patent documents. A complete list of publicationscan be found on the JRC web sitehttp://www.jrc.cec.eu.int

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

01 2 3 4

FP4FP5

Year of the Framework Programme

Com

peti

tive

inco

me

(k€

)

2002 2001EUR reports 17 16Articles 75 67Conference papers 126 95Special publications 12 24Total 230 202

P U B L I C A T I O N S

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It is difficult to put scientific excellence in numbers.However, in addition to the number of publications andvisiting scientists, the following figures are good indi-cators of the scientific level of the Institute. To mentiona few events of the past year Dr. Elke Anklam was elect-ed a Titular Member of the Division of Chemistry and theEnvironment of the International Union of Pure and Ap-plied Chemistry (IUPAC); Dr. Jean Pauwels was nominat-ed as a IUPAC Fellow; Mr. Fredrik Tovesson was awardedthe 2nd prize for the JRC innovative scientific paper ofthe year for the paper “Neutron induced fission crosssection of 233Pa between 1 and 3 MeV”, published in thePhysics Review Letter; and Dr. Simon Nelms, presentlyworking at Thermo Element (UK), won the RSC’s HilgerSpectroscopy Prize partly related to his activities in theframework of international measurement evaluationprogrammes at IRMM. Another highlight of the year wasthe study of the 237Np(n,f)-reaction at MeV neutron en-ergies by Dr. Franz-Jozef Hambsch (IRMM), published inNuclear Physics A that is amongst the 9 most download-ed papers from this journal. A real breakthrough forneutron standard cross-sections was the discovery ofthe particle leaking effect by the scientists at the Vande Graaff accelerator of IRMM.

Throughout the year IRMM has organised and sponsorednumerous conferences, workshops, seminars and train-ing courses. Training in metrology has reached everyounger and general audiences. During the EuropeanScience Week, Dr. Taylor addressed an audience of about75 pupils, teachers and parents of the European Schoolin Mol. The talk entitled “I believe this is true. But haveyou measured it?” included some everyday examplesand demonstrated the importance of accurate measure-ments relevant for everybody. More scientific events in-clude the JRC Enlargement Meeting, REGMET / Metro-Trade Workshop, meeting of the Working Party onInternational Evaluation Co-operation of the OECD,workshops and meetings on mycotoxins, Avogadroproject and certification issues.

The number of visitors at the Institute remains high.This year among them were the Commissioners PhilippeBusquin and Franz Fischler who toured the Institute’slaboratories and discussed topical issues with the IRMMscientists.

Mr. Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture,Fisheries and Rural Development, visited the

IRMM laboratories in July 2002.

Mr. Philippe Busquin, Commissioner forResearch, absorbed in discussions withyoung scientists of IRMM.

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Scientific excellence and highlights of the year

Scientific prizes / awards 2Nominations 1Professorships held by staff 5Editorial board members 9Positions held by staff in scientific committees /bodies of international organisations 77Patents approved / applied for 1/3Invited presentations to internationalconferences / workshops 53International conferences organised 3International conferences sponsored 32Visitors at IRMM 14Seminars held at IRMM 11

H I G H L I G H T S

F. Tovesson (SE) and V. Fritsch (DE) preparing the experimental set-up for measuring the neutron induced fission cross-section of 233Paat the Van de Graaff laboratory.

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Dr. Alejandro HerreroDirector

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 292Fax: +32(0)14 584 294

alejandro.herrero@cec.eu.int

Dr. Doris FlorianMarketing and Scientific Liaison

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 272Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

doris.florian@cec.eu.int

Marc Wellens, MBAManagement SupportTel.: +32(0)14 571 327Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

marc.wellens@cec.eu.in

Dr. Stefan NonnemanInformatics and Electronics

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 404Fax: +32(0)14 591 980

stefan.nonneman@cec.eu.int

Prof. Dr. Dr. Adela RodríguezAnalytical Chemistry

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 200Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

adela.rodriguez-fernandez@cec.eu.int

Dr. Jean PauwelsAdvisor for Reference Materials

(until 31.10.2002)Tel.: +32(0)14 571 571Fax: +32(0)14 590 406

pauwels.lamberty@pandora.be

Dr. Philip TaylorIsotopic MeasurementsTel.: +32(0)14 571 605Fax: +32(0)14 591 978

philip.taylor@cec.eu.int

Prof. Dr. Peter RullhusenNeutron Physics

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 476Fax: +32(0)14 591 980

peter.rullhusen@cec.eu.int

Dietmar F.G. Reher, M.Sc.Radionuclide MetrologyTel.: +32(0)14 571 263Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

dietmar.reher@irmm.jrc.be

Dr. Roger WellumNuclear Safeguards

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 607Fax: +32(0)14 591 978

roger.wellum@cec.eu.int

Luc Peeters (Civil Engineer)Radiation Protection and Security

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 282Fax: +32(0)14 584 273luc.peeters@cec.eu.int

Colin Woodward(BSc FRICS CPhys MinstP)

Technical ServicesTel.: +32(0)14 571 585Fax: +32(0)14 584 597

colin.woodward@cec.eu.int

Dr. Jean-Claude SpirletQuality Management

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 767Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

jean-claude.spirlet@cec.eu.int

Prof. Dr. Elke AnklamFood and Feed (Deputy Director)

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 316Fax: +32(0)14 584 273

elke.anklam@cec.eu.int

Dr. Uwe WätjenReference Materials

Tel.: +32(0)14 571 722Fax: +32(0)14 590 406

uwe.waetjen@cec.eu.int

Status as of 31 December 2002Organigramme

Prof. Dr. Paul De BiévreAdvisor for Metrology in Chemistry

(until 30.11.2002)Tel.: +32(0)14 571 608Fax: +32(0)14 591 978

paul.de.bievre@skynet.be

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European Commission

EUR Report 20757 EN – DG Joint Research Centre Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)– Activity Report 2002Editor: S. LehtoLuxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities2002 – 40 pp. – 21.0 x 29.7 cmScientific and Technical Research seriesISBN 92-894-5832-1

Abstract

Report on the activities of the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements in 2002.

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The mission of the Joint Research Centre is to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the con-ception, development, implementation and monitoring of European Union policies. As a service of the EuropeanCommission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Community. Close to thepolicy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of commer-cial or national interests.

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONJOINT RESEARCH CENTRE