Providing Laboratory Services
The research and application of isotope techniques are only possible if analytical facilities are available that can offer adequate precision and accuracy. The Isotope Hydrology Laboratory of the Water Resources Programme offers analytical support and services to ensure the quality of isotope measurements worldwide. The laboratory has played a significant role in developing, refining and communicating analytical techniques for isotope measurement and maintains extensive analytical capabilities for isotope analysis in the context of water resource management. The laboratory's infrastructure is continuously augmented to provide better services to Member States. It supports a large number of Technical Cooperation (TC) projects and research contracts by providing various isotope analytical services for deuterium and oxygen-18, carbon-13 and carbon-14, noble gases, tritium and CFCs. It also supports ongoing isotope monitoring networks, including the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), the Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers (GNIR), and Moisture Isotopes in the Biosphere and Atmosphere (MIBA), thus contributing data information to the Water Isotope System for Data Analysis, Visualization and Electronic Retrieval (WISER), a GIS-based, computer assisted mapping programme, which can be used to make customized maps.
The laboratory enables the Water Resources Programme to offer robust technical assistance and advice, including the training of Member States' experts in the use of isotope techniques and analytical equipment. About 50 isotope hydrology laboratories were installed or upgraded with IAEA assistance over the last 20 years. In order to promote quality assurance and to improve the reliability and comparability of isotope measurements, the IHL conducts inter-laboratory comparisons on a regular basis and provides participating laboratories with the opportunity to evaluate accuracy on their own.
Training
The IAEA fellowships and scientific visits are hosted by the IHL to provide training in the routine operation of equipment, and for troubleshooting and quality assurance regarding all kinds of analyses. Technical aid is provided to support installation and upgrading of laboratory facilities in Member States. In addition to conducting training courses, training material in the form of manuals and movies is prepared for distribution.
Learning Tools
Liquid-Water Stable Isotope Analyser — Laser based instruments have the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in isotope applications. This contains a document describing extensive laboratory testing performed by the IAEA, a 45 minute video demonstrating how to assemble an analyser, as well as other resources. Watch the full tutorial.
Overview of Laboratory Isotope Analysis Methods for Water Resources Studies
— Proper preparation and analysis of isotope samples are essential for the interpretation and development of a sound assessment of water resources and potential water supplies. This DVD provides an overview of laboratory methods used for preparation and analysis of samples for deuterium and oxygen-18, carbon-13 and carbon-14, noble gases, tritium and CFCs. Many analytical details are covered allowing a view of individual analytical methods to gain an in-depth understanding about how to conduct isotope analyses in the laboratory. Watch the full tutorial.
Analytical Equipment
The IAEA transfers relatively simple and easy to operate technologies to Member States. To this end, laboratory staff and technical officers test and validate sampling and analytical techniques.
Inter Laboratory Comparisons
The Isotope Hydrology Laboratory organises interlaboratory comparisons for laboratories engaged in the analyses of stable and radioactive isotopes commonly used in hydrology. These exercises are part of the IAEA's activities to promote quality assurance and improve the reliability and comparability of isotope measurements. Eleven intercomparison exercises have been conducted in the past, and an exercise on stable isotope analyses of water samples (WICO-2011) is in progress.
| Completed | |
|---|---|
| • | WICO2011 Water Isotope Inter-laboratory Comparison, Zip File, Full Text |
| • | TRIC2004 Seventh Inter-laboratory Comparison Exercise of Tritium Analysis of Water at Environmental Activity Levels, Full Text |
| • | WICO2002 Water Isotope Inter-laboratory Comparison, Full Text |
| • | Boron stable isotope inter-laboratory comparison exercise, Full Text |
| • | Tritium Interlaboratory Comparison TRIC2000, Full Text |
| • | Stable Isotope Interlaboratory Comparison 1999, Full Text |
| • | Chemistry Interlaboratory Comparison 1999, Full Text |
| • | IC-Stable Isotopes 2 IAEA 1995, Araguas-Rozanski, Full Text |
| • | IC-Stable Isotopes Enriched-NAHRES 5 IAEA 1991, Parr-Clements, Full Text |
| • | IC-Tritium 2 IAEA-1970, Florkowski-Payne-Sauzay, Full Text |
| • | IC-Tritium 4 IAEA-1986, Hut, Full Text |
| • | IC-Tritium 5 IAEA-1995, Oestlund-Scott-Taylor, Full Text |