SIST-TS CEN/TS 17216:2019

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17216:2018
01-marec-2018
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Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Determination
of activity concentrations of radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40 in construction
products using semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometry
Bauprodukte - Bewertung der Freisetzung von gefährlichen Stoffen - Messung von
Aktivitätskonzentrationen von Gammastrahlung
Produits de construction - Evaluation de l'émission de substances dangereuses -
Mesurage des concentrations de radioactivité des rayonnements gamma
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: FprCEN/TS 17216
ICS:
13.020.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
varstvom okolja environmental protection
17.240 Merjenje sevanja Radiation measurements
91.100.01 Gradbeni materiali na Construction materials in
splošno general
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17216:2018 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17216:2018

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kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17216:2018


FINAL DRAFT
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
FprCEN/TS 17216
SPÉCIFICATION TECHNIQUE

TECHNISCHE SPEZIFIKATION

January 2018
ICS 91.100.01
English Version

Construction products - Assessment of release of
dangerous substances - Determination of activity
concentrations of radium-226, thorium-232 and
potassium-40 in construction products using
semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometry
Produits de construction - Evaluation de l'émission de Bauprodukte - Bewertung der Freisetzung von
substances dangereuses - Détermination de l'activité gefährlichen Stoffen - Messung von
du radium-226, du thorium-232 et du potassium-40 Aktivitätskonzentrationen von Gammastrahlung
dans les produits de construction par spectrométrie
gamma


This draft Technical Specification is submitted to CEN members for Vote. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 351.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.

Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a Technical Specification. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change
without notice and shall not be referred to as a Technical Specification.


EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2018 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. FprCEN/TS 17216:2018 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Symbols and abbreviations . 8
5 Principles of the test method . 11
6 Sampling and sample preparation . 11
6.1 Sampling hierarchy . 11
6.2 Sampling and sub-sampling . 14
6.3 Test specimen/test portion preparation . 14
7 Test procedure . 18
7.1 General . 18
7.2 Measurement . 18
8 Processing the test data . 22
8.1 General . 22
8.2 Analysis of counting spectrum . 22
8.3 Calculating activity concentration . 23
8.4 Standard uncertainty . 24
8.5 Decision threshold . 27
8.6 Detection limit . 27
9 Test report . 29
Annex A (normative) Method for the determination of the radon-tightness of a test
specimen container . 31
A.1 Principle . 31
A.2 Apparatus, equipment and reagents . 31
A.3 Test . 31
A.4 Processing experimental data . 32
Annex B (normative) Preparation of standardized calibration sources . 35
B.1 Principle . 35
B.2 Apparatus, equipment and reagents . 35
B.3 Test . 35
Annex C (normative) Method for the determination of the activity concentration in a
composite product . 39
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Annex D (informative) Complementary photopeaks to verify the activity concentration in
the test specimen . 40
Annex E (informative) Method for the determination of the corrected number of pulses in a
photopeak (only to be used for completely stand-alone single peaks) . 41
Bibliography . 42


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European foreword
This document (FprCEN/TS 17216:2018) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 351
“Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances”, the secretariat of which is
held by NEN.
This document is currently submitted to the Vote on TS.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association.
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Introduction
This document is a Technical Specification developed under Mandate M/366 issued by the European
Commission in the framework of the “Construction Products Directive” 89/106/EEC. This document
addresses the part of Mandate M/366 which provides for the preparation of horizontal
measurement/test methods for the determination of the activity concentrations of the radionuclides
radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40 in construction products using gamma-ray spectrometry.
Mandate M/366 is a complement to the product mandates issued by the European Commission to CEN
under the Construction Products Directive (CPD). The harmonized product standards (hEN) developed
in CEN under mandates (and ETAs developed in EOTA for products or kits) specify construction
product(s) as placed on the market and address their intended conditions of use.
The information produced by applying this Technical Specification can be used for purposes of CE
marking and evaluation/attestation of conformity. Product specification, standardization of
representative sampling and procedures for any product-specific laboratory sample preparation are the
responsibility of product TCs and are not covered in this Technical Specification.
This Technical Specification supports existing regulations and standardized practices, and is based on
methods described in standards, such as ISO 10703 [1], ISO 18589-2 [2], ISO 18589-3 [3] and NEN 5697
[4]. In summary, the Technical Specification describes the following:
— sampling, sub-sampling and test specimen preparation;
— measurement using gamma-ray spectrometry;
— background subtraction, energy and efficiency calibration, analysis of the spectrum;
— calculation of activity concentrations with associated uncertainties;
— reporting of test results.
Determination of the activity concentration is based on the principles of gamma-spectrometry, and
procedures for all stages of the testing are provided in this document. Although the tested material
sample rarely reflects a product’s form under its intended conditions of use, the measured activity
concentration is an intrinsic property of the material, which does not vary with the construction
product’s form. Consequently, the test results reflect the radiation behaviour of the product under its
intended use. In addition, the Technical Specification is intended to be non product-specific in scope,
with only a limited number of product-specific elements.
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1 Scope
This document describes a test method for the determination of the activity concentrations of the
radionuclides radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40 in construction products using
semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometry.
This document describes sampling from a laboratory sample, sample preparation, and the sample
measurement by semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometry. It includes background subtraction, energy
and efficiency calibration, analysis of the spectrum, calculation of the activity concentrations with the
associated uncertainties, the decision threshold and detection limit, and reporting of the results. The
preparation of the laboratory sample from the initial product sample lies outside its scope and is
described in product standards.
This document is intended to be non product-specific in scope, however, there are a limited number of
product-specific elements such as the preparation of the laboratory sample and drying of the test
portion. The method is applicable to samples from products consisting of single or multiple material
components.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 16687:2015, Construction products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Terminology
ISO 11929, Determination of the characteristic limits (decision threshold, detection limit and limits of the
confidence interval) for measurements of ionizing radiation - Fundamentals and application
ISO IEC Guide 98-3, Uncertainty of measurement - Part 3: Guide to the expression of uncertainty in
measurement (GUM, 1995)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
blank
volume of demineralized or distilled water that corresponds to the volume and geometry of the test
specimen
3.2
calibration source
sample with known radioactivity concentration and material properties that corresponds to the volume
and geometry of the test specimen
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 4.4.2]
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3.3
composite sample
sample that consist of two or more material components, put together in appropriate portions, from
which the mean value of a desired characteristic may be obtained
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.4.1; modified to read 'material components' instead of 'increments']
3.4
crushed material
sample material prepared by crushing a portion of the laboratory sample
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 4.4.4]
3.5
dead time
time during which the measurement system is actually processing the signal and is not able to accept
the next signal
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 4.4.3]
3.6
laboratory sample
sample or sub-sample(s) sent to or received by the laboratory
[SOURCE: EN 166872015, 3.2.1]
Note 1 to entry: When the laboratory sample is further prepared by subdividing, cutting, sawing, coring, mixing,
drying, grinding, and curing or by combinations of these operations, the result is the test sample. When no
preparation of the laboratory sample is required, the laboratory sample is the test sample. A test portion is
removed from the test sample for the performance of the test/ analysis or for the preparation of a test specimen.
Note 2 to entry: The laboratory sample is the final sample from the point of view of sample collection but it is
the initial sample from the point of view of the laboratory.
3.7
product sample
construction product taken in whole or in part at the factory, on the market or on the construction site
representative of the construction product
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.1.4]
3.8
test portion
amount of the test sample taken for testing/ analysis purposes, usually of known weight or volume
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.2.3]
3.9
test sample
sample, prepared from the laboratory sample from which test portions are removed for testing or for
analysis
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.2.2]
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3.10
test specimen
test portion specially prepared for testing in a test facility in order to simulate the radiation behaviour
of the product under intended conditions of use
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 3.2.4]
3.11
test specimen container
holder shaped like a beaker or a vessel that can be sealed and that is used to make determinations on
the test specimen
[SOURCE: EN 16687:2015, 4.4.5]
4 Symbols and abbreviations
For the purposes of this document, the following symbols, names of quantities and units apply.
Symbol Name of quantity Unit
a, b, c free parameters used in an e-power formula –
A the activity of the standardized calibration source j at energy E Bq
i;j i
b ordinal –
the average activity concentration of radionuclide i Bq/kg
C
i

C the activity concentration of radionuclide i in the test specimen k Bq/kg
i;k
#
is the detection limit of radionuclide i of test specimen k Bq/kg

C
ik;
*
is the decision threshold of radionuclide i of test specimen k Bq/kg
C
ik;
E energy used for determining radionuclide i keV
i
f ordinal –
i ordinal –
j ordinal –
k ordinal –
k the uncertainty coverage factor –
k the uncertainty coverage factor with a default value of 1,65 at α = 0,05 –
1−α
k the uncertainty coverage factor with a default value of 1,65 at β = 0,05 –
1−β
m the mass of matrix material j kg
j;mat
m the mass of sub sample k of standardized material j kg
j;k;stand
m the mass of the test specimen k kg
k
n number of test specimens –
N the corrected number of pulses in the photopeak –
N the number of pulses collected in channel q –
q
the average number of pulses per channel before the peak –
N

b
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Symbol Name of quantity Unit
the average number of pulses per channel after the peak –
N

f
N the net number of pulses in the photopeak that corresponds to energy E of –
i;j i
standardized calibration source j
N the number of pulses that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak –
cont;k
when counting the test specimen k
N the number of pulses that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak –
cont;i;j;mat
with energy E of matrix material j
i
N the number of pulses that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak –
cont;i;j;k;stand
with energy E of sub sample k of standardized material j
i
N the total number of pulses that is collected in the channels belonging to the –
tot;i;j;mat
photopeak with energy E of matrix material j
i
N the total number of pulses that is collected in the channels belonging to the –
tot;i;j;k;stand
photopeak with energy E of sub sample k of standardized material j
i
N the total number of pulses that is collected in the channels belonging to the –
tot;k
photopeak when counting the test specimen k
p ordinal –
q ordinal –
-1
R the counting rate of the blank that is determined from the number of pulses s
cont;0
that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak
-1
R the counting rate of the test specimen k that is determined from the number s
cont;k
of pulses that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak
-1
R the counting rate in spectrum w that is determined from the number of pulses s
cont;w
that is collected in the continuum under the photopeak
-1
R the corrected counting rate of the blank s
cor;0
-1
R the corrected specific counting rate of matrix material j at energy E (s·kg)
cor;i;j;spec;mat i
-1
R the average specific corrected counting rate of all subsamples k of (s·kg)
cor;i;j;spec;stand
standardized material j at energy E
i
-1
R the corrected specific counting rate of sub sample k of standardized (s·kg)
cor;i;j;k;spec;stand
material jat energy E
i
-1
R the corrected counting rate of the test specimen k that is determined for the s
cor;k
photopeak
-1
R the corrected counting rate in spectrum w that is determined for the s
cor;w
photopeak
-1
R the total counting rate of the blank that is determined from the total number s
tot;0
of pulses that is collected in the channels belonging to the photopeak
-1
R the total counting rate of the test specimen k that is determined from the total s
tot;k
number of pulses that is collected in the channels belonging to the photopeak
-1
R the total counting rate in spectrum w that is determined from the total s
tot;w
number of pulses that is collected under the photopeak
S the total radon production in the building material Bq/s
t the counting time s
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Symbol Name of quantity Unit
t the counting time of the blank corrected for the dead time s
0
t the counting time of the calibration source j corrected for the dead time s
j
t the counting time of matrix material j corrected for the dead time s
j;mat
t the counting time of sub sample k of standardized material j corrected for the s
j;k;stand
dead time
t the counting time of the test specimen k corrected for the dead time s
k
t the counting time of the gas sample in spectrum w corrected for the dead time s
w
-1
u the uncertainty is the uncertainty in the free parameter a of the radon- s
a
tightness test
u the external uncertainty of the mass activity of radionuclide i Bq/kg
i;ext
u is the internal or external uncertainty of the activity of radionuclide i Bq/kg
i;ie
u the internal uncertainty of the mass activity of radionuclide i Bq/kg
i;int
u the uncertainty of radionuclide i of the test specimen k Bq/kg
i;k
u the total uncertainty of the activity of radionuclide i Bq/kg
i,tot
u the uncertainty of the corrected counting rate R Bq/kg
(Rcor;w) cor;w
3
V the volume m
w ordinal –
α the probability of a first order error with a default value of 0,05 –
β the probability of a second order error with a default value of 0,05 –
-1
ε the radionuclide-specific counting efficiency for energy E and the (Bq·s)
i;j i
standardized calibration source j
-1
ε the radionuclide-specific counting efficiency for energy E and a counting (Bq·s)
i;k i
sample with mass m
k
η the correction factor for dry mass of the test specimen k –
k
-1
λ the tightness of a test specimen container s
l
-1
λ the decay constant of radon-222 s
Rn
ν the coefficient of variation of the corrected specific counting rate of –
i;j;ext
sub sample k of standardized material j at energy E
i
ν the coefficient of variation due to radon-222 leakage from the test specimen –
i;l
container
ν the total relative uncertainty of the activity of radionuclide i –
i,tot
ν the relative uncertainty in the counting efficiency of radionuclide i –
i;ε
ν the relative uncertainty in the density correction of radionuclide i –
i;ρ
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5 Principles of the test method
The activity concentrations of the gamma-emitting radionuclides in construction products are
determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. Activity concentration is a material-property and not a
function of the physical form of a construction product.
The activity of gamma-emitting radionuclides present in the test specimen is based on the analysis of
the energies and the peak areas obtained from the full-energy peaks of the gamma lines that allow the
identification and the quantification of the radionuclides.
The test method requires accurate energy and efficiency calibrations. Such calibration is performed
using a calibration material with a known activity source that is similar in chemical composition and
density to the materials that are to be tested. The calibration is based on a pre-selected set of
photopeaks used for the determination of the activity concentration. Selected photopeaks are either
emitted by the radionuclide itself or by one of its progeny nuclides.
The activity concentration is measured using a homogeneous, mostly granular, test specimen held in a
container with a predefined geometry. This determination, requiring as it does a test specimen of
granular material to be presented to the spectrometer, will only rarely reflect a product's form under its
intended conditions of use. Nevertheless, because the activity concentration is an intrinsic material
property, the test results will simulate the radiation behaviour of the product under its intended
conditions of use.
For radium-226 and thorium-232 the activity concentration is determined using a progeny nuclide,
while for potassium-40 the concentration is based on the photopeak from the nuclide itself. In those
cases where the activity is determined using a progeny nuclide, a secular equilibrium between the
progeny nuclide and its originating nuclide is necessary. To reach such equilibrium the test specimen is
stored in a radon-tight container for a period of at least three weeks in order to ensure there is no
degradation in the equilibrium due to a leakage of radon activity.
Despite the required waiting time of three weeks a disequilibrium in the thorium-232 decay chain can
be present. Such disequilibrium is caused by different dissolution ratios between thorium and radium,
particular hydrogeological history and effects of industrial processes. In case of such disequilibrium the
thorium-232 activity is approximated.
10
NOTE 1 Thorium-232 with a half-life of 1,41 × 10 years is the parent nuclide of the thorium decay chain.
Thorium-232 has a line at 63,81 keV with a very low emission probability of 0,263 % which overlaps a line of
thorium-234 at 63,28 keV with a higher emission probability of 4,1 %, so that thorium-232 cannot be determined
directly by gamma spectrometry. Determination through its decay radionuclides actinium-228, lead-212 and
thallium-208 can be performed only if one assumes that these radionuclides are in radioactive equilibrium with
thorium-232.
NOTE 2 Where the activity concentration between thorium-228 and radium-228 is considerably different
alternative measurement techniques or procedures to determine the thorium-232 more accurately are available
but are outside the scope of this document.
6 Sampling and sample preparation
6.1 Sampling hierarchy
A diagram of the sampling hierarchy (Figure 1) is presented and followed by a sketch with a physical
description of the samples (Figure 2) in support of the relevant definitions given in Clause 3.
NOTE The test method described in this Technical Specification starts with a laboratory sample received by
the laboratory. The preparation of a product sample lies outside the scope of this Technical Specification and is
described in product standards.
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Figure 1 — Diagram of the sample hierarchy
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Key
1 sampling
a) Product sample – sample of a construction product

b) Composite sample – sample consisting of a number of components

Key
1 laboratory
c) Laboratory sample – sample sent to or received by the laboratory

d) Test sample – sample to provide material for all analytical testing

e) Test portion – sample for general analytical testing

f) Test specimen – sample for radiation testing
Figure 2 — Sketch of the samples with a physical description
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6.2 Sampling and sub-sampling
6.2.1 General
The method starts with a laboratory sample received by the laboratory. The preparation of a product
sample lies outside the scope of this Technical Specification.
The following items listed below should be taken into account:
a) For general guidance on sampling and sampling procedures for the making of a laboratory sample
reference should be made to CEN/TR 16220 [5];
b) For composite construction products, a product sample containing all of the material components
can be put forward for testing. Alternatively, each of the components can be sent for testing
individually. In that case the activity concentration of the construction product is calculated using
the procedures described in Annex C;
c) For composite products where blending of the various material components results in a change of
material composition or loss of weight the calculation of the mean activity concentration based on
the individual components may deviate from that of the composite material;
d) Where preparation of a cement-based concre
...