The calibration frequency for this instrumentation is normally specified in the licensee's procedures. A schedule for maintenance, consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations, is usually established by licensee administrative controls, or the licensee may simply refer to the manufacturer's recommendations to schedule these tasks. Argon-41 is normally the most common radionuclide identified in gaseous releases. Liquid releases are generally reactor dependent. The normal method for detecting, identifying, and quantifying gamma emitting radionuclides is gamma spectrometry.
Licensees usually monitor and dispose of normal effluents effectively.
However, many licensees conduct experiments that produce radioactive gases or liquid waste directly. Cleaning highly contaminated experimental equipment can also release radioactive gases and liquid waste. The design objectives of the effluent systems are to be examined to assure that the licensee is not using the systems in a manner for which they were not intended. Circumstances may arise during operation that were not considered in the design of the system. Licensees may keep primary coolant and other liquid waste in a holdup tank to allow radioactive liquids to decay to near background levels.