Incident Response Guidance for Radioanalytical Laboratories

The incident guides below describe the likely analytical decision paths that would be required by personnel at a radioanalytical laboratory following a radiological or nuclear incident, such as that caused by a terrorist attack. EPA's responsibilities, as outlined in the National Response Framework (NRF) Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex (NRIA) (pdf) (32 pp, 229.73 KB), include response and recovery actions to detect and identify radioactive substances and to coordinate federal radiological monitoring and assessment activities. These documents were developed to provide guidance to those radioanalytical laboratories that will support EPA's response and recovery actions following a radiological or nuclear Incident of National Significance (INS).

Radiological Laboratory Sample Analysis Guide for Incidents of National Significance – Radionuclides in Air (pdf) (5.63 MB, June 2009, 402-R-09-007)
The document describes the likely analytical decision paths that would be made by personnel at a radioanalytical laboratory following a radiological or nuclear incident, such as that caused by a terrorist attack.

Guide for Laboratories — Identification, Preparation, and Implementation of Core Operations for Radiological or Nuclear Incident Response (pdf) (2.09 MB, June 2010, 402-R-10-002)
This document provides guidance to radioanalytical laboratories that will support EPA’s response and recovery actions following a radiological or nuclear incident. This guide examines those core operations of federal, state, and commercial radioanalytical laboratories that will be challenged when responding to a radiological incident.

Radiological Laboratory Sample Screening Analysis Guide for Incidents of National Significance (pdf) (2.35 MB, June 2009, 402-R-09-008)
The document describes methods that may be applied by personnel at a radioanalytical laboratory for sample radioactivity screening following a radiological or nuclear incident, such as that caused by a terrorist attack.

Radiological Laboratory Sample Analysis Guide for Incidents of National Significance — Radionuclides in Water (pdf) (4.72 MB, January 2008, 402-R-07-007)
Three radioanalytical scenarios, responding to two different public health questions, address the immediate need to determine the concentration of known or unknown radionuclides in water. The scenarios are based upon the radionuclides that probably would be released by a radiological dispersion device or those that may be released intentionally into the drinking water supply.

Guide for Radiological Laboratories for the Control of Radioactive Contamination and Radiation Exposure (pdf) (2.61 MB, August 2012, 402-R-12-005)
The guide discusses the need to prepare the laboratory to participate in the incident response by defining and establishing discreet work areas and operational guidelines for the various laboratory activities, based primarily on the levels of radioactivity being processed and the flow of radioactive material through the laboratory, and by establishing customized laboratory-specific protocols for the key activities that are likely to have an impact on contamination and radiation control.

Method Validation Guide for Qualifying Methods Used by Radiological Laboratories Participating in Incident Response Activities (pdf) (3.8 MB, June 2009, 402-R-09-006)
This document describes project method validation guidance that a radioanalytical laboratory should comply with in order to validate methods used to process samples submitted during a radiological or nuclear incident, such as that caused by a terrorist attack.

Radiological Laboratory Sample Analysis Guide for Incident Response – Radionuclides in Soil (pdf) (6.13 MB, September 2012, 402-R-12-006)
The guidance provided in this document for the screening, pretreatment, and analysis of soil samples should assist those federal, state, and commercial radioanalytical laboratories that will be challenged with a large number of such samples when responding to a radiological incident. Three different types of events are discussed: a radiological transportation incident, a radiological dispersal device (RDD) (“dirty bomb”), and detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND).

Uses of Field and Laboratory Measurements During a Radiological or Nuclear Incident (pdf) (5.06 MB, August 2012, 402-R-12-007)
This document describes the interrelationship among field and laboratory radiological analytical measurements, their respective advantages and disadvantages, and the planning and analytical considerations necessary to obtain data of known and defensible quality for use by decision makers, primarily during the recovery phase.

A Performance-Based Approach to the Use of Swipe Samples in Response to a Radiological or Nuclear Incident (pdf) (1.01 MB, October 2011, 600-R-11-122)
This document describes the various swipe techniques that may be used to sample surfaces contaminated by radioactive materials following an incident such as the detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND) or a radiological dispersal device (RDD) (“dirty bomb”).

Profile and Management Options for EPA Laboratory Generated Mixed Waste (pdf) (951.37 KB, August 1996, 402-R-96-015)
This report is designed to aid EPA in defining future low-level and mixed waste guidance for EPA laboratories.