TECHNICAL REPORTS SERIES No. 90 IAEA Laboratory Activities THE IAEA LABORATORIES AT VIENNA AND SEIBERSDORF THE INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY OF MARINE RADIOACTIVITY AT MONACO THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS. TRIESTE THE MIDDLE EASTERN REGIONAL RADIOISOTOPE CENTRE FOR THE ARAB COUNTRIES, CAIRO FIFTH REPORT i j INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY,VIENNA, 1968 IAEA LABORATORY ACTIVITIES Fifth Report The following States are Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency: AFGHANISTAN GERMANY, FEDERAL NORWAY ALBANIA REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN ALGERIA GHANA PANAMA ARGENTINA GREECE PARAGUAY AUSTRALIA GUATEMALA PERU AUSTRIA HAITI PHILIPPINES BELGIUM HOLY SEE POLAND BOLIVIA HUNGARY PORTUGAL BRAZIL ICELAND ROMANIA BULGARIA INDIA SAUDI ARABIA BURMA INDONESIA SENEGAL BYELORUSSIAN SOVIET IRAN SIERRA LEONE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC IRAQ SINGAPORE CAMBODIA ISRAEL SOUTH AFRICA CAMEROON ITALY SPAIN CANADA IVORY COAST SUDAN CEYLON JAMAICA SWEDEN CHILE JAPAN SWITZERLAND CHINA JORDAN SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC COLOMBIA KENYA THAILAND CONGO, DEMOCRATIC KOREA, REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA REPUBLIC OF KUWAIT TURKEY COSTA RICA LEBANON UGANDA CUBA LIBERIA UKRAINIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST CYPRUS LIBYA REPUBLIC CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST LUXEMBOURG UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC MADAGASCAR REPUBLICS DENMARK MALI UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MEXICO UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT ECUADOR MONACO BRITAIN AND NORTHERN EL SALVADOR MOROCCO IRELAND ETHIOPIA NETHERLANDS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FINLAND NEW ZEALAND URUGUAY FRANCE NICARAGUA VENEZUELA GABON NIGERIA VIET-NAM YUGOSLAVIA The Agency's Statute was approved on 23 October 1956 by the Conference on the Statute of the IAEA held at United Nations Headquarters, New York; it entered into force on 29 July 1957. The Headquarters of the Agency are situated in Vienna. Its principal objective is "to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world". (C) IAEA, 1968 Permission to reproduce or translate the information contained in this publication may be obtained by writing to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Karntner Ring 11, A-1010 Vienna I, Austria. Printed by the IAEA in Austria September 1968 TECHNICAL REPORTS SERIES No. 90 IAEA LABORATORY ACTIVITIES The IAEA Laboratories at Vienna and Seibersdorf The International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco The International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste The Middle Eastern Regional Radioisotope Centre for the Arab Countries, Cairo Fifth Report INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA, 1968 IAEA LABORATORY ACTIVITIES - Fifth Report (Technical Reports Series No.90) ABSTRACT. This fifth report describes development and work during the year 1967. It includes activi- ties of the IAEA Laboratories at Vienna and Seibersdorf, the International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco, the International Centre for Theoretical Physics at Trieste, and the Middle Eastern Regional Radioisotope Centre for the Arab Countries at Cairo. Contents: ThelAEA Laboratories at Vienna and Seibersdorf: Introduction; Standardization of measure- ment and of analytical methods related to peaceful applications of nuclear energy; Services to Member States and International Organizations; Chemical and physico-chemical investigations relevant to the Agency's programme; Nuclear techniques in hydrology; Nuclear techniques in medicine; Nuclear tech- niques in agriculture; Nuclear electronics service and development; Administrative matters. — The Inter- national Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco: Introduction; Research; Administrative matters. — The International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste: Assistance to developing countries; Research activities; Administrative matters; Annexes. — The Middle Eastern Regional Radioisotope Centre for the Arab Countries, Cairo: Introduction; The scientific programme of the Centre; Publications on work done at the Centre; Finance; Annex. Entirely in English. (155 pp., 16x24 cm, paper-bound, 31 figures; 1968) Price: US$1.00; 8/4 stg IAEA LABORATORY ACTIVITIES, FIFTH REPORT IAEA, VIENNA, 1968 STI/DOC/10/90 FOREWORD This fifth "IAEA Laboratory Activities" report describes the work during the year 1967. It includes activities of the Agency's Laboratories at Vienna and Seibersdorf, the International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity at Monaco, the International Centre for Theoretical Physics at Trieste, and the Middle Eastern Regional Radioisotope Centre for the Arab Countries at Cairo. The Agency expresses its gratitude to the Governments of Austria, Monaco, Italy and the United Arab Republic for their generous continued assistance. CONTENTS THE IAEA LABORATORIES AT VIENNA AND SEIBERSDORF I. INTRODUCTION 3 II. STANDARDIZATION OF MEASUREMENT AND OF ANALYTICAL METHODS RELATED TO PEACEFUL APPLICATIONS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 4 1. Calibration of radionuclides 4 1.1. Development of calibration apparatus 1.2. Distribution of calibrated radioactive samples 1.3. Participation in an intercomparison for 60Co 2. Techniques associated with standardization 6 2.1. Fabrication of lithium-drifted germanium detectors 2.2. Source preparation by electro-spraying 3. Neutron fluence measurements 7 4. Radiation dosimetry 8 4.1. Calorimetric measurements 4.2. Ferrous sulphate dosimeters 4.3. LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters 5. Analytical chemistry (Reference materials) 11 5. 1. Analysed low-grade uranium ores 5.2. Analysed sample of uranium oxide containing trace impurities III. SERVICES TO MEMBER STATES AND TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 13 1. Austria (Promethium-147 in urine) 13 2. Peru (Determination of radionuclides in milk and air filters) .... 13 3. Somalia (Analysis of mineral samples) 14 4. Sudan (Determination of beta activity) 14 5. Tunisia (Determination of uranium in ores) 14 6. UN Food and Agricultural Organization (Applied neutron activation analysis: determination of mercury in pesticide residues) 14 IV. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS RELEVANT TO THE AGENCY' S PROGRAMME 18 1. Low-level radioactivity (LOWRA) quality control programme .... 18 1.1. Methods of analytical quality control 1.2. The present situation in analytical quality control 1.3. Analytical quality control in applied radiochemical analysis 2. Studies on decomposition under radiation 23 2.1. Decomposition of folic acid 2.2. 7-sterilization of packaged biomedical products 2.3. Effect of y-irradiation on human blood-plasma proteins 3. Purity of commercial radiochemical preparations 26 3.1. Studies on thyroxine 3.2. Studies on 203203]Hg-containin g compounds 4. Safeguards programme 27 4.1. Analytical standard samples 4.2. Neutron activation analysis 4.3. Precise tritium assay 4.4. Plutonium in urine V. NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES IN HYDROLOGY 29 1. Tritium 29 1.1. Enrichment by electrolysis 1.2. Isotope fractionation from distillation 1.3. Gas counting 1.4. Preparation of n-butane for tritium gas counting 1.5. Liquid scintillation counting 31 2. Carbon-14 3. Scandium-46 labelled compounds as tracer for water 31 4. Oxygen isotopic composition 32 VI. NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES IN MEDICINE 33 1. Development of methods and instruments 33 1.1. Medical activation analysis 1.2. Radioisotope scanning 1.3. Whole-body counting 1.4. Profile scanning 1.5. Thoron assay system 1.6. Computer programme for curve-fitting 2. Support of other Agency activities 45 2.1. Radionuclide monitoring 2.2. Labelled proteins for the study of protein metabolism in malnutrition 2.3. Applications of whole-body counting 2.4. Study of toxicity of Thorotrast in Vienna cases VII. NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES IN AGRICULTURE 47 1. Soil fertility, irrigation and crop nutrition 47 1.1. Co-ordinated rice project 1.2. Co-ordinated maize project 1.3. Co-ordinated wheat project 1.4. Co-ordinated research programme on tree crop fertilization 1.5. Crop nutrition and water use efficiency 1.6. Co-ordinated programme on nutrient supply and movement in soil systems 1.7. The analysis of nitrogen-15 in biological materials 2. Entomology 64 2.1. Mediterranean fruit fly 2.2. Olive fly 2.3. Tsetse fly 3. Plant breeding 72 3.1. Barley projects 3.2. Wheat projects 3.3. Rice projects 3.4. Neutron seed irradiation programme 3.5. Radiation services VIII. NUCLEAR ELECTRONICS SERVICE AND DEVELOPMENT 76 1. General 76 2. Programmable computer interface 76 IX. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 82 1. Training 82 2. Laboratory equipment donated by Governments of Member States . 82 3. Finance 83 4. Professional staff of the laboratory 86 5. Publications by staff members 91 6. Papers presented at scientific meetings by staff members 94 THE INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY OF MARINE RADIOACTIVITY AT MONACO I. INTRODUCTION 99 1. The Programme 99 2. International co-operation 99 3. Scientific meetings attended 99 4. Visitors 100 5. Co-ordinated research programme 100 II. RESEARCH ..101 1. Work at sea 101 1.1. Diffusion processes in the sea 1.2. Penetration of isotopes into the sea bottom 1.3. Zooplankton observations 1.4. Organic aggregates 2. Work in the laboratory 103 2.1. Chemistry of sea water 2.2. Chemistry of sediments 2.3. Radiobiology of marine organisms III. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 113 1. Site, facilities and equipment 113 2. Finance 113 3. Professional staff of the laboratory f . 113 4. Publications by staff members 114 THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS, TRIESTE I. ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 117 1. Associate memberships 117 2. Fellowships and other positions 117 3. The Advanced School of (Theoretical) Physics 117 4. Long-term seminars and courses 117 5. Federated institutes 118 6. Dissemination of