DIN EN ISO 20044:2024-09

Reliable monitoring of the activity concentration in the air is necessary in order to be able to determine possible human exposure at any time, to verify compliance with radiation protection requirements and the relevant regulations, and to serve as a guideline for reducing health risks. This standard provides guidance on sampling aerosols by enrichment on filter media, determining the aerosol particle-bound activity concentration from the known activity on/in the filter, and the operational use of continuously operating air monitors with simultaneous measurement. The procedures described are intended to ensure compliance with national and international requirements for monitoring programs and take into account IAEA safety standards. They can be used for any investigations and monitoring in the environmental field. The characteristics of the sampling location (coordinates, vegetation type, obstacles) shall be documented before sampling begins. The standard does not cover the details of measurement test techniques (gamma spectroscopy, global alpha and beta counting, liquid scintillation, alpha spectrometry) used to determine the activity deposited in the media filter, which are either based on existing standards or internal methods developed by the laboratory in charge of those measurements. Also, this document does not cover the variability of the aerosol particle sizes as given by the composition of the dust contained in ambient air.