ISO 2889:2023

Overview

ISO 2889:2023 - Sampling airborne radioactive materials from the stacks and ducts of nuclear facilities provides performance-based criteria and practical recommendations for the design, use and evaluation of air-sampling systems used to monitor radioactive effluents from stacks and ducts. The standard targets sampling for regulatory compliance and system control, covering probes, nozzles, transport lines, sample collectors, volumetric flow measurement and quality assurance. It clarifies expectations for normal and off‑normal operations and recommends evaluation and retrofit when existing systems do not meet the performance criteria. Note: ISO 2889:2023 does not cover outdoor ambient sampling, radon, or workplace surveillance.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Performance-based design: Criteria for sampling system accuracy and representativeness in effluent stacks and ducts.
• Sample extraction locations: Requirements and methods to select well-mixed sampling points and to assess homogeneity (velocity, gas and particle concentration profiles).
• Sampling system design: Guidance on probes, nozzle design, sample transport, filter media and materials of construction to minimize losses and bias.
• Volumetric flow measurement: Principles and options for measuring emission stream flow and sample flow rates; leak checks and uncertainty considerations.
• Particle and gas sampling: Collection methods for aerosols, gases and vapours, including special guidance for radioiodine, tritium and carbon-14 (Annexes C, H, K).
• Loss modelling and verification: Modelling of depositional losses in transport lines, mixing demonstrations and system performance verification (Annexes B, F).
• Quality assurance / quality control: Program elements for QA/QC, action levels and uncertainty evaluation to support regulatory reporting (Annexes E, J, I).
• Evaluation and upgrading: Procedures to evaluate existing systems and determine practicable retrofits where performance is deficient.

Practical applications and users

ISO 2889:2023 is intended for:

• Nuclear facility engineers and designers specifying air-sampling systems for effluent monitoring.
• Radiation protection and environmental monitoring teams conducting stack/duct sampling and regulatory reporting.
• QA managers and auditors assessing system performance, uncertainty and compliance.
• Consultants and modelers addressing particle loss, probe placement and sampling representativeness. Applications include design of new sampling systems, upgrading legacy systems, establishing action levels and performing performance verification and uncertainty analyses.

Related standards and references

• The standard was developed by ISO/TC 85 (Nuclear energy, radiological protection).
• ISO 2889:2023 cross-references instrumentation and workplace sampling guidance (see referenced documents in the standard, e.g. references [1], [5], [6], [7]) for complementary technical detail on monitors and workplace air sampling.

Keywords: ISO 2889:2023, sampling airborne radioactive materials, stacks and ducts, nuclear facilities, air-sampling systems, flow measurement, filter media, radioiodine, tritium, quality assurance.