IEC 61563:2019 applies to instruments used to measure the activity and/or activity concentration of gamma-emitting radionuclides in food and/or foodstuffs. This document applies to instruments used both as gross count type instruments and pulse height analysing type instruments used in field conditions and in measurement facilities. This document does not apply to high-resolution spectrometers that use germanium detectors.
The instruments to which this document applies can be used to measure the activity and activity concentration of gamma-emitting radionuclides for a wide variety of samples, such as soil, sewage, plant, and animal life.
The object of this document is to establish performance requirements, to provide test methods and to specify general characteristics, general test conditions, and radiological, environmental, mechanical and electromagnetic characteristics to be used to determine whether an instrument meets the requirements of this document. The test results provide information to end-users and manufacturers regarding the capability of instrument for reliable measurement of the activity and/or activity concentration of gamma-emitting radionuclides.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2001. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) The previous edition applied to handheld-type and portable-type instruments. This edition applies to transportable-type and installed-type instruments, as well as the scope of the previous edition. The handheld-type and portable-type instruments are mainly used in case of a post accidental situation, however, the transportable-type and installed-type instruments can be used through recovery phase.
b) Uncertainty of measurement according to GUM is introduced.
c) Detection limit defined in ISO 11929 is introduced to specify a minimum detectable activity.
d) Environmental requirements, mechanical requirements and electromagnetic requirements are updated according to IEC 62706.
e) Sample format of measuring report is introduced