Annual report 2006.
Date: 2007-07-26
Institutions: Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements
Subjects: Joint Research Centre, activity report, competence of the institution, organisation of research, research policy, research programme

Report EUR 22759 EN

© Vito 2003  

European Commission
Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements

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Table of Contents

05

Message from the Director 

06

About the Institute

08

Community reference laboratories at JRC-IRMM

11

Highlights in 2006 

15
15
23
27
29

Research highlights in 2006 
Reference materials and measurements
Food chain, biotechnology and contributions to health 
Protecting the European environment 
Nuclear safety and security  

36

Institute in figures 

40

Organigramme 

 
 
 
04 | Message from the Director

Message from the Director

The JRC-IRMM has a long history in validating meth-
ods of analysis, producing measurement standards 
and organising comparative and proficiency tests. 
Today, these are the core activities in its work pro-
gramme  that  is  based  on  the  needs  for  scientific 
and technical support of other Directorates-General 
of the Commission.

This  kind  of  expertise  is  also  key  for  operating 
Community reference laboratories (CRLs). In 2004, 
the JRC-IRMM became the CRL for feed additives’ 
authorisation. In 2006, its mandate was extended 
to  cover  also  the  control  function,  and  the  JRC-
IRMM  was  designated  as  the  three  new  Commu-
nity reference laboratories (CRL) for heavy metals 
in feed and food, for mycotoxins and for polycyclic 
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These CRLs ensure 
that the testing of those substances is performed 
to a reliable standard across the food chain. In ad-
dition,  the  JRC-IRMM  was  appointed  chair  of  the 
coordinating board of experts for monitoring wa-
ter in poultry, similar in function to the CRLs.

Operating  CRLs  is  a  recent  development  at  JRC-
IRMM. The basis for such support function is built 
in  the  many  research  projects  of  the  JRC-IRMM 
work  programme.  These  projects  span  over  sev-
eral  research  fields  from  developing  new  refer-
ence materials for genetic testing to the analysis 
of  semicarbazide  in  food  and  complex  organic 
pollutants, measuring neutron cross sections and 
radioactivity  in  the  environment  or  studying  how 
to distinguish organically grown crops from those 
grown conventionally. Common for all is the drive 
to  create  confidence  in  measurements.  In  2006, 
over 30 new sets of reference materials were add-
ed to the catalogue, and hundreds of laboratories 
participated  in  the  interlaboratory  comparisons 
organised by our institute.

Almost 50 years after signing the Treaties of Rome 
it is good to recall that the roots of the JRC-IRMM 
are in the nuclear research. The need for nuclear 
standards  and  nuclear  data  has  not  vanished, 
though, rather the new technologies have added 
to  the  requirements  and  revealed  gaps  in  our 
knowledge. The NUDAME project that was started 
in 2005 to open access to JRC-IRMM accelerators 
for scientists of other organisations has yielded 18 
experiments of shared interest, and seven of them 
were already executed by the end of 2006.

In August 2006, we said goodbye to Elke Anklam, 
the head of the Food Safety and Quality Unit who 
took  up  the  position  of  the  Director  of  our  sister 
institute,  the  Institute  for  Health  and  Consumer 
Protection in Ispra. I would like to thank her for the 
efforts she put in setting up the food laboratories 
at  the  institute  and  starting  up  of  new  activities. 
Without a doubt we will continue to share experi-
ences and best practices in the future.

2006 was also the last year of the 6th Framework 
Programme for research. Taking stock of our work 
during  those  four  years,  I  am  proud  of  what  the 
JRC-IRMM staff have achieved. The 7th Framework 
Programme,  however,  will  bring  new  challenges 
for us and our collaborators and I am looking for-
ward to a fruitful 5-7 years ahead of us with many 
exciting projects to be realised.

Last but not least, I would like to thank our part-
ners  and  customers  for  a  successful  year  and  all 
our staff for their efforts and dedication.

Alejandro Herrero

Message from the Director | 05

The Institute for Reference Materials and Measure-
ments (IRMM) is one of the seven Institutes of the 
Joint Research Centre (JRC), a Directorate-General 
of the European Commission, providing independ-
ent scientific and technical support to Community 
policy-making. The JRC-IRMM was founded in 1957 
under the Treaties of Rome and started operation 
in 1960 under the name of the Central Bureau for 
Nuclear Measurements (CBNM). Today JRC-IRMM 
is  one  of  the  world’s  largest  reference  material 
producers  and  a  provider  of  reference  measure-
ments and data.

Mission and tasks

JRC-IRMM  promotes  a  common  and  reliable  Eu-
ropean  measurement  system  in  support  of  EU 
policies. The primary task of JRC-IRMM is to build 
confidence  in  the  comparability  of  measurement 
results  by  the  production  and  dissemination  of 
internationally  accepted  quality  assurance  tools. 
JRC-IRMM develops and validates testing methods, 
produces reference materials, organises measure-
ment evaluation programmes, and provides refer-
ence measurements.

As  a  metrology  institute  of  the  European  Com-
mission  the  JRC-IRMM  participates  in  the  activi-
ties  of  the  international  metrology  organisations 
such  as  the  International  Committee  for  Weights 
and  Measures  (CIPM)  and  the  network  of  Euro-
pean  metrology  institutes  (EUROMET).  Through 
an agreement with the European Co-operation for 
Accreditation (EA), JRC-IRMM helps to improve the 
measurement capabilities of hundreds of  labora-
tories  in  all  Member  States.  JRC-IRMM  staff  also 
contribute actively to the work of standardisation 
bodies  like  the  European  Committee  for  Stand-
ardization  (CEN)  and  International  Organization 
for Standardization (ISO). The JRC-IRMM operates 
now four Community reference laboratories.

Work programme

The research programme of JRC-IRMM is focussed 
on areas of policy relevance, and serves many Di-
rectorates-General  e.g.  for  Health  and  Consumer 
Protection,  Environment,  Agriculture,  Energy  and 
Transport,  Enterprise  and  Industry,  Trade,  Taxa-
tion and the Customs Union, Enlargement and Ex-
ternal Relations. All Commission services can also 
request JRC-IRMM to carry out specifically targeted 
research  projects  outside  its  annual  programme 

06 | About the Institute

About the Institute

under a special administrative arrangement. As an 
institute of one of the Directorates-General of the 
European  Commission  JRC-IRMM  performs  tasks 
complementary  to  those  of  the  Member  States, 
especially where an independent approach at Eu-
ropean level is needed. It works in close collabo-
ration  with  national  and  international  research 
organisations,  metrology  institutes,  authorities, 
universities  as  well  as  with  industry.  JRC-IRMM 
has over 60 formal collaboration agreements and 
numerous  other  partners  via  informal  and  com-
petitive activities. In 2006, the JRC-IRMM and the 
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO 
NV) signed a collaboration agreement concerning 
scientific research on food and feed safety and en-
vironmental quality assessment.

Towards FP7

2006 was the last year of the 6th Framework Pro-
gramme of the European Community for research, 
technological  development  and  demonstration 
activities and of the European Atomic Energy Com-
munity  (Euratom)  for  nuclear  research  and  train-
ing activities. In December 2006 the European Par-
liament  approved  the  7th  Framework  Programme 
(FP7) for Community research for 2007-2013, and 
of the Euratom for 2007-2011.

The  recoil  proton  telescope  at  JRC-IRMM  is  used  for  neutron 
fluence measurements

The specific programme of the JRC in FP7 is struc-
tured  in  policy  themes  and  agendas.  Due  to  the 
horizontal  nature  of  JRC-IRMM’s  work,  its  activi-
ties  fall  under  many  of  them.  For  instance  under 
the policy theme 1 “Prosperity in a knowledge in-
tensive society”, the agendas on competitiveness 
and innovation, the European Research Area, life 
sciences  and  biotechnology  are  relevant  for  JRC-
IRMM. Policy theme 2 “Solidarity and the respon-
sible  management  of  resources”  contains  topics 
like  agriculture  and  climate  change  where  tasks 
on  analytical  method  development,  validation 
and  analytical  quality  assurance  are  assigned  to 
JRC-IRMM. The policy theme 3 “Freedom, security 
and  justice”  contains  research  on  food  and  feed 
safety  and  quality,  that  are  core  activities  of  the 
JRC-IRMM.  The  nuclear  work  programme  of  JRC-
IRMM  is  included  in  the  specific  programme  for 
the nuclear actions of the JRC.

Core competencies

The core competencies of JRC-IRMM are develop-
ment,  production  and  distribution  of  reference 
materials, development and validation of methods 
for  food  and  feed  analysis,  bioanalysis,  isotopic 
measurements, neutron physics and radionuclide 
metrology.  These  competencies  are  applied  in  a 
variety of research fields: food and feed safety and 
quality,  biotechnology,  sustainable  agriculture, 
environment, health, nanotechnology and nuclear 
safety and security. The scientific knowledge base 
of JRC-IRMM is acquired and maintained by both 
fundamental  and  applied  research  in  the  respec-
tive areas.

JRC-IRMM staff are members in numerous commit-
tees, their working groups and scientific boards of 
international  organisations.  JRC-IRMM’s  work  in 
the field of standardisation is widely recognised. 
Various  technical  committees  of  ISO  use  expert 
advice of JRC-IRMM on reference materials for their 
specific application fields, and JRC-IRMM experts 
participate actively in the work of the Association 
of  Analytical  Communities  (AOAC)  International. 
Many testing methods validated by JRC-IRMM to-
gether with its collaborators have been approved 
as standards of CEN and ISO.

JRC-IRMM  has  upgraded  its  instrumentation  in  the  under-
ground laboratory

Special infrastructure

The  research  facilities  include  multi-functional 
and flexible laboratories for development and pro-
duction of reference materials, advanced analyti-
cal  laboratories,  mass  metrology  laboratory  and 
an ultra-clean chemical laboratory. The JRC-IRMM 
analytical laboratories are well equipped for carry-
ing out demanding tasks whether to solve a food 
related or an isotope measurement problem. The 
dedicated  facilities  for  reference  materials  pro-
duction are able to handle large amounts of vari-
ous types of materials, even those hazardous for 
health.  Controlled  storage  conditions  for  all  ma-
terials  are  available.  The  radionuclide  metrology 
laboratory  houses  instrumentation  for  extremely 
accurate  radioactivity  measurements  and  small 
amounts  of  radioactive  substances  can  be  stud-
ied  in  the  underground  laboratory  of  JRC-IRMM 
located  at  the  Belgian  Nuclear  Research  Centre 
SCK•CEN in Mol (BE). 

JRC-IRMM operates a 150 MeV linear electron ac-
celerator  (GELINA)  and  a  7  MV  light-ion  Van  de 
Graaff  accelerator.  The  two  accelerators  of  JRC-
IRMM,  used  for  neutron  production,  are  comple-
mentary  in  their  experimental  conditions  and 
among  the  best  such  installations  in  the  world. 
Since  2005  the  two  accelerators  can  accommo-
date external users via a project on access to large 
scale facilities (NUDAME). 

About the Institute | 07

Following  food  safety  crises  including  BSE  and 
the  dioxin  contamination,  EU  food  law  was  sub-
stantially  reformed  (White  Paper  on  Food  Safety 
COM(1999)719 final) and as part of this a system 
of  specialised  Community  reference  laboratories 
has  been  created,  cooperating  closely  with  their 
national counterparts.

Community reference laboratories (CRLs) are ana-
lytical  laboratories  designated  by  Community  di-
rectives and regulations. They are an integral part 
of  European  risk  management  system  and  help 
make the EU regulatory system more efficient and 
effective,  with  the  same  high  level  of  laboratory 
performance across the EU. Their duties contain e.g.:

• setting up EU-wide standards to ensure compa-

rability of testing results
• organising comparative tests 
training analysts from national laboratories 
•
• providing scientific and technical assistance to 

the European Commission

• coordinating  a  network  of  national  reference 

laboratories 

The CRLs are also required to have knowledge of 
international  standards  and  practices  and  keep 
lists  of  reference  substances  and  reagents  and 
their  suppliers.  With  their  networks  of  national 
laboratories  the  CRLs  provide  a  platform  for  ex-
perts to share knowledge and best practices.

JRC-IRMM is operating the Community reference laboratory for 
feed additives since 2004

Community Reference
Laboratories at JRC-IRMM

In 2006, three new CRLs started operation at JRC-
IRMM and deal with testing of heavy metals, my-
cotoxins  and  polycyclic  aromatic  hydrocarbons 
(PAHs)  in  food  and  animal  feed.  Substances  in 
these  three  groups  can  cause  cancer  and  other 
serious  illnesses  or  damage  the  central  nervous 
system.  In  addition,  in  2006  the  mandate  of  the 
CRL assisting the European Food Safety Authority 
(EFSA) in the authorisation of feed additives was 
extended to cover activities related to control.

Community Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives

Since  2004  feed  additives  have  to  be  authorised 
according to the procedure laid down in Regulation 
(EC) No 1831/2003. The procedure is designed on 
the basis of a strict separation between scientific 
assessment of the feed additive, which falls under 
the responsibility of EFSA, and the actual authori-
sation for placing the product on the market grant-
ed by the European Commission. The assessment 
of the feed additive also includes a close evalua-
tion  of  the  analytical  methods  that  are  proposed 
by the applicant to determine the active substance 
in various matrices such as animal feed. This eval-
uation and some other tasks are entrusted to the 
Community reference laboratory, which according 
to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 is the European 
Commission’s  Joint  Research  Centre.  Within  the 
JRC the IRMM has taken up this task. In addition, 
the Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 assigned tasks 
to this CRL that are related to the official food and 
feed controls.

The main task of the CRL is the evaluation of the 
analytical  methods  submitted  by  the  applicant, 
establishing whether these methods are suitable 
for  official  control  purposes.  Analytical  methods 
are for instance required to determine the  active 
substance of the feed additive in animal feed and – 
if applicable – residues in animal tissue. The CRL is 
supported by a consortium of 35 European nation-
al reference laboratories (NRLs), which contribute 
to the evaluation procedure with their expertise on 
specific analytical methodologies. In case the sub-
mitted analytical methods fulfil the requirements 
for the intended purpose a favourable opinion will 
be given to EFSA without performing experiments. 
If necessary, the CRL may also test the method in 
its own or an NRL laboratory, or it may organise an 
interlaboratory comparison study to validate it.

08 | Community Reference Laboratories at JRC-IRMM

In  2006,  the  CRL  submitted  final  reports  on  the 
assessment  of  analytical  methods  for  20  dossiers 
to  EFSA,  and  participated  in  proficiency  tests  to 
demonstrate its competence in producing reliable 
results  as  specified  in  its  accreditation.  It  created 
expert groups to establish performance criteria for 
single-laboratory validated analytical methods. The 
other tasks of the expert groups are recommending 
analytical methods suitable for official control and 
contributing to the method data bank. Ultimately, 
experts’ recommendations for performance criteria 
could provide the backbone for legislation on ana-
lytical methods relevant to feed, akin to the already 
existing Decision (EC) No 2002/657 on residues in 
food  of  animal  origin.  The  CRL  for  feed  additives 
also  maintains  a  repository  of  reference  samples 
of all authorised additives and keeps a database of 
methods for the analysis of specific feed additives.

Community Reference Laboratory for Heavy Metals 
in Feed and Food

Heavy metals are present in all foodstuffs. Some 
are important for our nutrition, but others, such as 
lead,  cadmium  and  mercury,  have  no  nutritional 
value and can in some cases contribute to serious 
illnesses  such  as  cancer,  or  damage  the  central 
nervous system.

To  reduce  the  risk  to  human  health  associated 
with  high  heavy  metal  content  in  food  and  feed, 
maximum  allowed  limits  in  several  commodities 
have been laid down in the European legislation. 
The  Community  reference  laboratory  for  heavy 
metals was created to implement Regulation (EC) 
No 882/2004 on official controls performed to en-
sure  the  verification  of  compliance  with  the  feed 
and  food  law,  animal  health  and  animal  welfare 
rules.  The  task  of  the  CRL  for  heavy  metals  is  to 
facilitate  the  implementation  of  Regulation  (EC) 
No  1881/2006  and  Directive  2001/22/EC  estab-
lishing the maximum levels of heavy metals such 
as lead, mercury and cadmium in different foods. 
The three types of matrices covered by the CRL are 
wild  caught  fish,  food  of  plant  origin  and  animal 
feed.

One of its core tasks is to organise interlaboratory 
comparisons for the appointed national reference 
laboratories. These campaigns are run within the 
International Measurement Evaluation Programme 
(IMEP®) of JRC-IRMM but then only the nominated 
laboratories can participate. In 2006, the CRL already 
organised one campaign for the national reference 

laboratories  where  their  performance  in  measur-
ing Cd, Pb and Hg in bread was evaluated. Devel-
opment and validation of standardised analytical 
methods can also be carried out if the national ref-
erence  laboratories  ask  for  it,  as  well  as  training 
on the relevant European legislation.

Community Reference Laboratory for Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins  are  substances  produced  by  certain 
fungi  growing  on  food  and  feed.  Estimates  show 
that up to 20% of food products may contain my-
cotoxins,  which  can  cause  anything  from  mild  to 
serious illness. To protect the consumers, Europe-
an legislation sets maximum limits for the content 
of harmful mycotoxins in certain foodstuffs.

To  ensure  that  results  from  food  and  feed  moni-
toring  fulfil  the  requirements  of  legislation,  any 
method  that  is  used  for  analysis  of  goods  must 
meet  established  and  accepted  performance  cri-
teria. This is especially important in view of legal 
actions and trade specifications such as rejection 
of imports due to contamination, as well as moni-
toring  and  risk  assessment  studies.  Both  rapid 
screening methods and confirmatory methods are 
needed.

Animal feed extracts are being filtered before analysis of  
mycotoxins

Community Reference Laboratories at JRC-IRMM | 09

This CRL at JRC-IRMM co-ordinates activities relat-
ed to the development and improvement of meth-
ods of analysis for the official control of maximum 
levels and organises comparative tests for the net-
work or national reference laboratories. The aim of 
the CRL is to facilitate the implementation of current 
and  future  European  legislation  for  mycotoxins, 
e.g.  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1881/2006 
setting  maximum  levels  for  certain  contaminants 
in foodstuffs. The JRC-IRMM has already validated 
a method for determination of patulin at the new 
legislative  level  of  10  ng/g  in  baby  food  and  de-
veloped and validated methods for the determina-
tion  of  Fusarium  toxins  (such  as  deoxynivalenol, 
zearalenone  and  T-2/HT-2  toxins)  in  baby  food 
and animal feed. In 2006 the CRL organised an in-
terlaboratory comparison for the analysis of afla-
toxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in acetonitrile to assess 
instrument calibration.

Community  Reference  Laboratory  for  Polycyclic 
Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Polycyclic  aromatic  hydrocarbons  (PAHs)  are  a 
group  of  about  ten  thousand  compounds.  Some 
of  the  PAHs  are  of  particular  concern  for  human 
health due to carcinogenicity and mutagenicity or 
since they may enhance the adverse effects of an-
other compound. We are exposed to PAHs via air 
and drinking water, but mostly by intake of food. 
Contamination of food by PAHs largely arises from 
production practices. For instance, grains and raw 
products for the production of edible oils may be 
contaminated  with  PAHs  through  drying  or  food 
from  animal  origin  can  be  contaminated  through 
charcoal grilling, roasting, or smoking.

In  2006  the  JRC-IRMM  was  appointed  as  CRL  for 
PAHs. The CRL assists the national laboratories of 
the  Member  States  by  developing  and  validating 
methods of analysis for these substances, and by 
helping harmonise official controls. The CRL coordi-
nates a network of national reference laboratories 
across  the  EU,  organises  proficiency  tests  for  the 
assessment  of  the  comparability  of  analysis  data, 
and identifies needs for method development.

These activities refer in particular to Commission 
Regulation  (EC)  No  208/2005  setting  maximum 
levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in various types of 
food, to Commission Directive 2005/10/EC laying 
down sampling and analysis measures for the of-
ficial control of the levels of BaP in foodstuffs, and 
to  Commission  Recommendation  2005/108/EC, 

10 | Community Reference Laboratories at JRC-IRMM

which  proposes  additional  studies  on  the  levels 
of PAHs in certain foods. The CRL for PAHs is also 
setting up a database on research projects related 
to PAHs in food. Its purpose is to help researchers 
across  Europe  to  identify  potential  partners  and 
to help authorities to address scientific questions 
related to PAHs to the respective experts. In 2006, 
the  CRL  organised  an  interlaboratory  campaign 
on the analysis of “15+1 EU priority PAHs” * in ace-
tonitrile to help the national reference laboratories 
in assessing instrument calibration.

Analysis of PAHs by solid phase extraction high performance 
liquid chromatography

* New European legislation was introduced in early 2005 to re-
spond to food contamination problems, based on data collect-
ed by the EU Member States and assessment by the Scientific 
Committee on Food (SCF) in 2002. The SCF assessed 33 PAHs 
and  recommended  14  of  them  be  monitored  in  addition  to 
benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which was the only compound required 
that  time.  This  is  reflected  in  Commission  Recommendation 
2005/108/EC.  In  2005,  the  Joint  FAO/WHO  Expert  Committee 
on Food Additives (JECFA) brought up another PAH that is not 
covered  by  the  Commission  Recommendation  2005/108/EC. 
Therefore, EFSA and the European Commission have drawn up 
a  priority  list  of  the  15  PAHs  mentioned  in  the  recommenda-
tion  complemented  with  the  one  specified  by  JECFA.  The  EU 
Member  States  are  requested  to  provide  monitoring  data  on 
these 16 PAHs to enable long-term exposure assessment. To 
distinguish this set of 16 PAHs from another set of 16 PAHs that 
was  prioritised  by  the  US  Environmental  Protection  Agency 
(US EPA), the term “15+1 EU priority PAHs” is used.

Highlights in 2006

Integration and enlargement

Training

Since  2001  the  JRC-IRMM  has  actively  supported 
the enlargement of the European Union by provid-
ing assistance and training in its fields of expertise 
to  help  the  Acceding  and  Candidate  Countries  in 
taking up EU legislation. This assistance supports 
the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Process  for  the 
Western Balkan Countries. In 2006, the JRC-IRMM 
collaborated with a new research centre in Slovenia 
that was officially opened by European Science and 
Research Commissioner Janez Potoˇcnik.  The Slov-
enian-European Natural Sciences Research Centre 
(SENARC)  provides  training  and  opportunities  to 
share knowledge for scientists from across South 
Eastern Europe. It focuses specifically on the field 
of  the  chemical  and  bioanalytical  measurements 
required for the implementation of EU legislation 
in areas such as environmental monitoring. SENARC 
is  funded  from  the  EU’s  Instrument  for  Pre-Ac-
cession  Assistance  and  Structural  Funds,  among 
other sources. It has evolved from collaboration of 
JRC-IRMM with 7 Slovenian research partners.

JRC-IRMM  is  also  involved  in  EU  funded  projects 
(CARDS)  carried  out  in  Albania  and  Croatia.  The 
establishment of a free trade area in the Balkans 
as  well  as  a  future  free  trade  agreement  with 
the  EU  requires  a  functioning  metrology  system, 
which will also fulfil the requirements set on qual-
ity of environment and safety and quality of food. 
The JRC-IRMM provides expert advice in capacity 
building and helps upgrading the legal framework 
related to metrology. These projects provide also 
for technical assistance and training and help in-
crease public awareness. For instance, within the 
CARDS  Albania  project  in  2006  a  summer  school 
on metrology in chemistry was held in Maribor, a 
training  course  on  quality  systems  in  Tirana  and 
the  Albanian  metrology  authority  was  advised  in 
drafting strategies. Templates for technical docu-
ments  needed  for  certification  or  accreditation 
were set up. In Croatia the projects aim to define 
national  priorities  for  metrology  and  conformity 
assessment  and  assist  in  developing  the  quality 
infrastructure in Croatia.

Passing  on  the  best  practices  and  experience  is 
essential in all areas where JRC-IRMM is working. 
Training  courses  are  regularly  organised  by  the 
specialists of the institute and JRC-IRMM hosts a 
large  number  of  PhD  students,  post  doctoral  fel-
lows and young and senior visiting scientists, na-
tional experts and trainees every year.

The TrainMiC programme of JRC-IRMM was start-
ed  in  2001  to  provide  a  platform  for  improving 
the quality of analytical results by promoting and 
providing a Europe-wide harmonised practitioner 
training  in  metrology  in  chemistry.  In  2006,  662 
practitioners participated in the 19 courses organ-
ised in ten countries. The JRC-IRMM has also initi-
ated a AcadeMiC platform where European analyt-
ical chemistry lecturers can meet and share ideas 
and  best  practice  to  teach  generic  measurement 
science in analytical chemistry. Today, the organi-
sations  EUROLAB,  EUROMET  and  EURACHEM  as 
well as in total about 40 academic lecturers from 
21  countries  in  Europe  have  signed  the  Rogaˇska 
Slatina declaration, which was drafted in the summer 
school of 2005 and calls for strengthening of uni-
versity curricula in this field.

TrainMiC training session

The  JRC-IRMM  organises  annually  an  advanced 
course on accelerators and time-of-flight measure-
ments for students of the Belgian Nuclear Higher 
Education Network (BNEN). In 2006, six BNEN stu-
dents followed the course, visited the accelerators 
and experimental set-ups and carried out practical 
experiments and measurements using the time-of-
flight technique. The BNEN was created in 2001 by 
five Belgian universities and the SCK•CEN to main-
tain and further develop a high quality education 
programme  in  nuclear  engineering  in  Belgium. 

Highlights in 2006 | 11

BNEN  organises  a  one-year  60  credit  academic 
programme  called  “Master  of  Science  in  Nuclear 
Engineering”. The objective is to offer future pro-
fessionals and researchers a solid background in 
the different disciplines of nuclear engineering.

In 2006, JRC-IRMM has enhanced contacts with lo-
cal  educational  institutions.  Collaboration  agree-
ments  on  scientific  research  were  signed  with 
the  Katholieke  Hogeschool  Kempen  (KHK)  and 
the XIOS Hogeschool Limburg aiming to facilitate 
working together and the exchange of research re-
sults. The benefits of combining technical educa-
tion with  an  opportunity to  work with  a  research 
team  in  designing  and  constructing  specialised 
equipment  were  highlighted  when  the  seventh 
grade welding, pipe-fitting and construction class 
of  VITO  Hoogstraten,  a  school  for  professional 
education, ranked second in the 2006 competition 
for the Belgian GRAM prize*. The high ranking was 
based  on  making  an  aluminium  array  for  meas-
urements at JRC-IRMM’s linear electron accelera-
tor facility. The array is used at JRC-IRMM for the 
measurement  of  c-emission  probabilities  associ-
ated with neutron induced reactions.

The JRC-IRMM organises annually an advanced course on 
accelerators and time-of-flight measurements for students of 
the Belgian Nuclear Higher Education Network (BNEN)

JRC-IRMM is a partner of the Virtual European Ra-
dionuclide  Metrology  Institute  (VERMI)  together 
with  the  radionuclide  metrology  departments  of 
Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNE-LNHB, 
FR),  Physikalisch-Technische  Bundesanstalt  (PTB, 
DE)  and  National  Physical  Laboratory  (NPL,  UK). 
With  the  generation  of  scientists  in  nuclear  re-
search  now  changing,  VERMI  aims  to  maintain 
and develop the quality of European radionuclide 
metrology. Therefore VERMI organises training for 
young researchers in radionuclide metrology. The 

12 | Highlights in 2006

fourth VERMI wokshop was organised in 2006 in 
Varna  (BG)  and  34  staff  from  national  metrology 
institutes,  national  authorities  and  research  in-
stitutions  participated.  Topics  covered  statistics 
and  uncertainty  estimation  as  well  as  the  major 
measurement techniques starting from the basics 
and ending in a detailed discussion of the state-of-
the-art,  difficulties  and  limitations  of  those  tech-
niques.

Local fire brigades practised situations requiring radiation and 
contamination measurements during an exercise at JRC-IRMM

Organising courses on the use of reference materi-
als has now become an established activity of the 
institute. These courses provide participants with 
the scientific basis for the estimation of measure-
ment  uncertainty  and  establishing  traceability. 
They  are  designed  for  laboratory  managers  and 
practitioners  in  analytical  laboratories  who  use 
reference materials for statistical quality control, 
method  validation  and  calibration.  In  2006,  30 
practitioners participated in the course.

In 2006 the JRC-IRMM has also shared its exper-
tise on biosafety with the local fire brigades and 
carried out joined exercises with several teams of 
local fire brigades to practise situations requiring 
radiation and contamination measurements during 
the intervention. Additionally a course was given on 
transport issues and on the use of personal dosim-
eters.

* The GRAM prize (Gilde voor Revaluatie Arbeid en Motivatie) 
is an initiative that aims at motivation of students and stimula-
tion of professional education through a competition for sixth 
and seventh grade classes throughout Flanders. 

of JRC-IRMM. In total, 3000 hours of data acquisi-
tion is reserved for the project.

In December 2006, the committee selected the ex-
periments to be carried out during the last year of 
the project i.e. the experimental period ending in 
March 2008. These experiments deal with capture 
cross sections of isotopically enriched Hf samples, 
the  235U(n,n’c) and  235U(n,2nc) reaction cross sec-
tions, neutron cross sections of the tungsten iso-
topes,  population  of  the  super  deformed  ground 
state  in  235U,  very  short-lived  activation  cross 
sections  from  inelastic  scattering  on  206,207Pb  and 
testing and calibration of neutron dosimeters for 
radiation protection.

Over  the  three  years,  the  requested  beam  time 
largely  exceeded  the  time  that  could  be  made 
available. Despite the fact that the scientific quali-
ty of the proposed experiments was generally very 
high, only 43% of the beam time requested could 
be  granted.  Out  of  22  proposals  18  experiments 
have been approved, but in many cases the beam 
time had to be reduced. By the end of 2006 seven 
experiments had been performed.

As from 2005 the two accelerators at JRC-IRMM can accom-
modate external users via a project on access to large scale 
facilities (NUDAME)

JRC-IRMM connected to GÉANT 

As the first JRC institute the JRC-IRMM is now con-
nected to the GÉANT network. GÉANT is the world’s 
leading research and education network providing 
networking services to researchers across Europe. 
GÉANT is co-funded by the European Commission 
and  Europe’s  national  research  and  education 
networks. The GÉANT directly interconnects more 
than 3 500 research and education institutions in 
34 European countries. 

The GÉANT network access offers a bandwidth of 
up to one gigabit per second (1Gbit/s). This high 
capacity  allows  communicating  even  faster  than 
on a normal local area network. The JRC-IRMM has 
many research projects where such a network ac-
cess can facilitate rapid transfer of large amounts 
of data or collaboration with research partners in 
real-time. For example, the tens of gigabits of neu-
tron data measured at the JRC-IRMM can be rap-
idly transferred to the collaborators who can then 
analyse the data in their home institution after the 
experiment.

Access to JRC-IRMM accelerators – the NUDAME 
project 

The  JRC  offers  its  nuclear  research  facilities  to 
European  research  teams  investigating  topics 
such as radioactive waste management, radiation 
protection  and  nuclear  technologies  and  safety. 
JRC-IRMM  has  two  accelerators  that  are  used  for 
accurate  neutron  data  measurements.  Within  the 
framework  of  the  Euratom  Transnational  Access 
programme research teams could apply for meas-
urement time at JRC-IRMM until the end of 2006. 
The NUDAME project started in the spring of 2005.

Experiment in the areas of radioactive waste man-
agement, radiation protection and other activities 
in the field of nuclear technologies and safety can 
be  supported.  Proposals  are  reviewed  by  a  pro-
gramme advisory committee composed of experts 
in the fields of interest. Approved experiments are 
granted  the  necessary  beam  time  and  the  same 
scientific, logistical and technical support as pro-
vided to all researchers of the Institute. The user 
groups are also supported for their travel and the 
subsistence  costs  during  the  time  required  con-
ducting  the  experiment.  The  users  perform  their 
experiments  in  close  cooperation  with  an  JRC-
IRMM contact person and if needed, may use the 
experimental set-ups and data acquisition systems 

Highlights in 2006 | 13

Accreditations

In 2004 the Reference Materials unit of JRC-IRMM 
was  accredited  in  accordance  with  the  require-
ments of two international standards, the ISO Guide 
34 and the ISO/IEC-17025. The ISO Guide 34 gives 
general requirements for the competence of refer-
ence materials producers, and the ISO/IEC-17025 
standard  for  the  competence  of  testing  and  cali-
bration laboratories. Accreditation of the Reference 
Materials  unit  then  covered  reference  materials 
production  and  several  testing  activities  such  as 
quantification of genetically modified organisms. 
In 2004, JRC-IRMM became the first organisation 
in  Europe  accredited  for  the  production  of  refer-
ence materials, and the re-audit in 2006 was suc-
cessful. The ISO/IEC-17025 accreditation was up-
dated to the version of 2005 of this standard.

Later in 2006 the Food Safety and Quality unit of 
JRC-IRMM was accredited in accordance with the 
requirements of the ISO/IEC-17025 standard cov-
ering  analysis  of  vitamin  A  and  coccidiostats  in 
feedingstuffs,  Ca,  Fe,  Mg  and  Zn  in  mineral  mix-
tures, and Mn and Zn in wholemeal flour. For each 
analyte – matrix combination the method of anal-
ysis  is  also  specified.  The  scope  of  accreditation 
was extended at the end of 2006 to include test-
ing activities relevant to the operation of the CRLs 
for mycotoxins and PAHs (aflatoxin B1 in peanuts, 
ochratoxin A in animal feed and the EU 15+1 PAHs 
in liquid smoke flavouring products).

Other  activities  were  also  audited  in  the  autumn 
of 2006, and accreditations are now pending. The 
Isotope  Measurements  unit  was  audited  against 
ISO/IEC-17025  for  its  isotopic  measurements  us-
ing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry 
(ICP-MS)  and  for  its  radionuclide  primary  stand-
ardisation, as well as its interlaboratory compari-
son activities against ISO Guide 43. 

14 | Highlights in 2006

Research highlights in
2006

The work programme of the JRC in the 6th Frame-
work  Programme  was  divided  in  four  core  areas 
and the JRC-IRMM has contributed to all of them. 
The research at JRC-IRMM covers a large variety of 
topics i.e. priority areas under those core areas.

•   Core area horizontal activities: specifically ref-
erence  materials  and  measurements,  which 
due  to  the  nature  of  the  work,  are  also  con-
tained in other core areas.

•   Core area food, chemical products and health: 
specifically food chain, biotechnology and con-
tributions to health.

•   Core  area  environment  and  sustainability: 
mostly under protection of the European envi-
ronment.

•   Core area Euratom programme: specifically nu-

clear safety and security.

A selection of JRC-IRMM’s activities in 2006 is pre-
sented here under these headings.

Reference materials and measurements

The  JRC-IRMM  promotes  the  principle  of  “once 
measured,  accepted  everywhere”  as  established 
by the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the In-
ternational Committee for Weights and Measures 
(CIPM), under the international Treaty of the Me-
tre  Convention.  The  reliability  and  comparability 
of analytical and testing data across Europe – and 
globally  –  greatly  depend  on  quality  assurance 
tools  like  the  certified  reference  materials  and 
schemes  for  evaluating  laboratory  performance 
that the JRC-IRMM provides.

Reference  materials  are  needed  for  developing, 
calibrating  and  validating  the  methods  of  analy-
sis. Today, reference materials are also needed to 
fulfill  the  requirements  of  present  standards  for 
the  accreditation  of  testing  and  calibration  labo-
ratories.  JRC-IRMM  is  one  of  the  world’s  largest 
reference material providers and offers a large va-
riety  of  certified  reference  materials.  In  2006,  its 
reference  materials  programme  resulted  in  over 
30  new  sets  of  certified  reference  materials  that 
were released for distribution.

Measuring Charpy specimens

JRC-IRMM also organises interlaboratory compari-
sons to evaluate the equivalence of accreditation 
across  Europe  and  the  performance  of  testing 
laboratories.  The  JRC-IRMM  runs  an  Internation-
al  Measurement  Evaluation  Programme  (IMEP),  a 
Regular European International Measurement Evalu-
ation  Programme  (REIMEP)  for  nuclear  measure-
ments,  an  International  Measurement  Evaluation 
Programme  for  Nuclear  Signatures  in  the  environ-
ment (NUSIMEP) and specific ones for laboratories 
nominated for a Community reference laboratory, for 
instance. All these evaluation schemes enable ana-
lytical  laboratories  to  benchmark  their  perform-
ance  and  in  some  cases  to  gain  accreditation.  At 
the  same  time  they  bring  together  measurement 
results from different geographical locations, from 
participants using various analytical methods and 
with  different  scopes  and  experience,  and  make 
an overall evaluation of measurement capabilities 
at  various  levels  of  the  measurement  chain  pos-
sible. The measurement capabilities of JRC-IRMM 
in turn are benchmarked against the best achiev-
able  measurements  via  the  key  comparisons  of 
committees  of  the  International  Committee  for 
Weights  and  Measures  (CIPM).  JRC-IRMM  also 
organises  such  key  or  pilot  comparisons  for  the 
committees  of  CIPM.  JRC-IRMM’s  own  capability 
to perform reference measurements is a key factor 
in all these activities.

Research highlights in 2006  | 15

gies.  Grinding  techniques  using  liquid  nitrogen 
and freeze-drying were applied to achieve stable 
and  homogenous  powders  with  a  defined  GMO 
content.

The genetically modified EH92-527-1 potato is, ac-
cording to the application for authorisation, prima-
rily intended for starch processing into industrial 
products and the use of the by-products in animal 
feed.  The  EH92-527-1  potato  is  an  amylopectin-
type starch potato with strongly reduced amylose 
levels.  The  samples  for  laboratory  analysis  are 
mainly whole potatoes, which will be qualitatively 
assessed.  The  reference  material  powders  were 
prepared from GM potatoes and from non-GM po-
tatoes.  To  prevent  accidental  contamination,  the 
GM  and  non-GM  raw  materials  were  processed 
separately. The purity of the potato batches was 
tested  on  individual  tubers:  a  chip  was  cut  from 
the surface of each tuber and stained with iodine 
to  demonstrate  the  presence  of  amylose.  This 
way  of  testing  clearly  reduces  the  uncertainty  of 
the eventually certified values. Also event specific 
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was per-
formed to confirm the identity of the non-GMO and 
GMO  potatoes.  Following  the  freeze-drying  and 
milling in a cryogenic mill, the hygroscopic potato 
powders were packed in vials using an automatic 
filling  line  in  a  closed  glove  box  maintaining  an 
inert  atmosphere.  The  reference  materials  are 
certified for their EH92-527-1 potato number frac-
tion  and  identity.  The  identity  of  the  EH92-527-1 
specific modification was confirmed by nucleotide 
sequence analysis of the junction region between 
the plant DNA and the genetic insertion.

Cotton seed oil is a common additive in food and 
feed  products.  The  genetically  modified  stacked 
cotton event 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23 has been 
genetically  engineered  to  provide  resistance 
against certain lepidopteran pests. The reference 
material for event 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23 was 
produced  from  cotton  seeds,  using  the  grinding 
techniques at liquid nitrogen temperature to cope 
with the high fat content of the raw materials. The 
powders  were  prepared  from  GM  and  non-GM 
seed  batches  thoroughly  checked  for  their  pu-
rity.  Beside  the  two  pure  materials  two  mixtures 
were  prepared  and  certified  for  their  mass  frac-
tion of event 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23. The val-
ue  assignment  approach  is  based  on  gravimetric 
preparation of materials containing different mass 
fractions of event 281-24-236 x 3006-210-23. The 
approach was afterwards verified using a real-time 
PCR method.

Soy bean plants are grown for experiments

Reference materials for the quantification of ge-
netically modified organisms

In the EU genetically modified products need au-
thorisation  and  according  to  the  EC  regulations 
food  or  food  ingredients  containing  more  than 
0,9%  GMOs  must  be  labelled  appropriately.  Cer-
tified reference materials are needed for calibrat-
ing  the  methods  used  to  quantify  the  content  of 
genetically  modified  organisms  (GMOs)  and  for 
controlling  the  quality  of  these  measurements. 
Implementing  the  EU  legislation  on  labelling  of 
food  and  feed  products  containing  GMOs  largely 
depends  on  the  accuracy  and  reliability  of  those 
measurements.  For  each  GMO  event  authorised 
for  food  and  feed  use  in  Europe,  certified  refer-
ence materials need to be available.

The JRC-IRMM was the first to produce reference 
materials  for  the  analysis  of  GMOs,  and  is  the 
only  one  accredited  under  ISO  Guide  34  for  the 
production  of  certified  GMO  reference  materials. 
The  GMO  reference  materials  of  JRC-IRMM  are 
produced under the European Reference Materials 
(ERM®) label that guarantees the use of best prac-
tices in production and certification. In 2006, the 
JRC-IRMM  has  developed  and  produced  five  new 
sets of certified reference materials for the analy-
sis  of  GMO  events.  The  new  series  include  certi-
fied reference materials for the analysis of GM cot-
ton, sugar beet, starch-modified potato, and two 
new GM maize events, namely MIR604 and 59122. 
The release of these new products has brought the 
number  of  certified  GMO  reference  material  sets 
to 14.

The making of the starch-modified potato materi-
als, a set of sugar beet materials and a set of cot-
ton seed materials required development of new 
processing  techniques  and  certification  strate-

16 | Research highlights in 2006

Certified reference materials released by JRC-IRMM in 2006

Code

Material

BCR-277R

BCR-280R

BCR-320R

BCR-348R

estuarine sediment

lake sediment

channel sediment

progesterone in human serum

ERM-BF419a-b

sugar beet event H7-1

Certified property

content of trace elements

content of trace elements

content of trace elements

high progesterone

GMO mass fraction

ERM-BF421a-b

potato event EH92-527-1

GMO number fraction, identity

ERM-BF423a-d

MIR604 maize

ERM-EF422a-d

cotton seed event 281-24-286 x 3006-210-23

ERM-EF424a-d

59122 maize

GMO mass fraction

GMO mass fraction

GMO mass fraction

impact toughness

ERM-FA013av

ERM-FA015t

ERM-FA016as

ERM-FA016au

ERM-FA0415j

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 30 J nominal 
absorbed energy

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 80 J nominal 
absorbed energy

impact toughness

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 120 J nominal 
absorbed energy

impact toughness

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 120 J nominal 
absorbed energy

impact toughness

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 150 J nominal 
absorbed energy

impact toughness

ERM-FA013aw

Charpy V-notch reference test pieces of 30 J nominal
absorbed energy

impact toughness

IRMM/IFCC-490

plasmid DNA for prothrombin wildtype (homozygous)

DNA sequence

IRMM/IFCC-491

plasmid DNA for prothrombin mutation (homozygous)

DNA sequence

IRMM/IFCC-492

plasmid DNA for prothrombin mutation (heterozygous)

DNA sequence

IRMM-018a

silicon dioxide

IRMM-315

IRMM-316

IRMM-447

IRMM-449

IRMM-468

IRMM-469

4-deoxynivalenol

nivalenol

genomic DNA of Lysteria monocytogenes

genomic DNA of Escherichia coli

thyroxine T4

3,3’,5 triiodothyronine T3

isotope amount ratios

mass fraction

mass fraction

identity

identity

purity

purity

IRMM-540R

uranium doped oxide glass (15 ppm nominal)

uranium mass fraction

uranium doped oxide glass (50 ppm nominal)

uranium mass fraction

IRMM-541

IRMM-007

IRMM-651

IRMM-652

IRMM-653

IRMM-652

set of Zn synthetic mixtures (7 units)

natZn isotopic reference material

64Zn isotopic reference material

67Zn isotopic reference material

68Zn isotopic reference material

IRMM-3702

Zn delta zero material

IRMM-1027i

Pu/U dried spike

isotope amount ratios

isotope amount content

isotope amount content

isotope amount content

isotope amount content

isotope amount ratio

isotope amount content

Research highlights in 2006 | 17

The  genetic  modification  in  sugar  beet  H7-1  pro-
vides  tolerance  to  Roundup®  herbicides  contain-
ing  glyphosate.  Since  quantification  of  GMOs  is 
based either on the detection of the modified DNA 
sequences  or  on  the  newly  expressed  proteins, 
it cannot be carried out on the final product, the 
sugar.  Presence  or  absence  of  the  GMO  event  is 
therefore  tested  on  the  sugar  beet  roots  before 
they  enter  processing.  Statistical  evaluation  of 
data  then  allows  estimating  the  GMO  concentra-
tion  in  a  batch  of  sugar  beet  root.  The  reference 
material  has  also  been  produced  from  roots  and 
a pure GM and non-GM powder have been made 
available  to  allow  reliable  detection  of  the  H7-1 
event. They have been certified for their mass frac-
tion of event H7-1, verified independently using a 
real-time PCR method.

Ampouling of candidate reference material solutions

The ICP-MS laboratory at JRC-IRMM

Isotopic reference materials for Zn analysis

Isotope  ratios  of  zinc  can  be  used  as  indicators  of 
metabolic, geochemical and environmental process-
es. The isotopic variations monitored in such studies 
are usually expressed relative to a standard on a so-
called delta scale. The Commission on Atomic Weights 
and Isotopic Abundances of the International Union 
of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) concluded in 
2002 that having isotopic reference materials of zinc 
would improve comparability of isotope ratio meas-
urements. To facilitate that JRC-IRMM has prepared a 
natural-like zinc material as a solution (IRMM-3702) 
to  serve  as  common  “delta-0”  material.  JRC-IRMM 
has also produced a series of certified isotopic refer-
ence materials for the analysis of Zn. These include 
solutions  containing  natural-like  Zn,  gravimetrically 
prepared Zn isotope mixtures, and isotope “spikes”.

New developments in reference material processing

The stability of many biological reference materials 
depends  strongly  on  their  water  content.  How-
ever,  an  efficient  and  reliable  on-line  method  for 
measuring  the  water  content  in  powders  during 
processing could not be realised until recently. In 
2006, a new instrumental method has been adapt-
ed  at  JRC-IRMM,  validated  and  implemented  for 
on-line  water  measurements  in  glass  vials  filled 
with dried biological powders. It is based on high 
speed  acousto-optical  tuneable  filter  near  infra-
red spectrometry (AOTF-NIR). By using 18 univer-
sal meat powder calibrants with 0,5 to 8% water 
(m/m) and a specific statistical model it has been 
possible to screen several different material types 
allowing the efficient production control of › 50 000 
samples. The AOTF-NIR equipment is now installed 
in an automatic capping and labelling machine that 
provides  synchronization  between  the  spectrum 
number recorded by the spectrometer and the sam-
ple identification number on the labelled unit.

18 | Research highlights in 2006

During 2006 the processing team has further de-
veloped the working methods for the use of a new 
cryogenic mill, which has considerably increased 
the daily output of finely ground biological materi-
als. Previously only batch-wise ball-milling could 
be performed, whereas now on-line milling is pos-
sible with the new inert milling equipment. In this 
way, the resulting materials are not contaminated 
by the mill and can therefore be certified for most 
elements  even  at  trace  levels.  The  low  tempera-
ture also protects thermally unstable analytes like 
nitroimidazoles  used  as  veterinary  drugs,  from 
being destroyed in the milling step. The possibil-
ity for rapid re-milling of a first milling portion for 
further  reduction  of  the  particle  size,  following  a 
rapid check of the particle size, is another attrac-
tive feature.

creased by super-cooling filled ampoules in liquid 
nitrogen to avoid problems when the glass melts 
in the sealing area. Pre-heating and sealing steps 
were  also  recorded  using  an  infrared  camera  in 
the range -40°C – 1500°C. This way monitoring the 
change in temperature over every mm2 on the am-
poule as a function of time was possible and opti-
mal settings could be found. The sealing method 
was specifically developed for glass with very low 
thermal conductivity and allowed to keep the pet-
rol below its flash point of -40°C.

Interlaboratory  comparisons  for  benchmarking 
and validation

JRC-IRMM organises interlaboratory comparisons 
for  many  purposes.  Interlaboratory  comparisons 
are the preferred way to validate methods of anal-
ysis or to certify a reference material according to 
internationally  agreed  guidelines.  They  are  also 
used to evaluate the performance of laboratories 
in specific testing activities. Many of the interlabo-
ratory  comparisons  organised  by  JRC-IRMM  are 
open  to  all  laboratories  that  wish  to  participate 
but some are restricted to e.g. national reference 
laboratories,  expert  laboratories  for  certification 
of  reference  materials,  or  in  the  case  of  nuclear 
measurements to those that are licenced to keep 
and import radioactive samples. Often an interlab-
oratory  comparison  organised  by  JRC-IRMM  was 
prompted  by  new  or  modified  European  legisla-
tion or policy.

Some candidate reference materials are milled at liquid nitrogen 
temperature

For making of new reference materials of the ERM®
consortium for the analysis of sulphur in petrol a 
solution to how to fill and keep the samples had 
to be found. Therefore, development of a reliable 
method for containment of petrol in flame sealed 
glass ampoules was one of the first and most chal-
lenging  tasks  of  this  project.  Firstly,  filling  and 
sealing  stations  were  separated  physically  for 
safety  and  bulk  petrol  was  kept  outdoors.  Sec-
ondly, the vapour pressure of the petrol was de-

IMEP® test samples from different campaigns

Research highlights in 2006 | 19

In  2006,  JRC-IRMM  was  running  evaluation  cam-
paigns on the analysis of sulphur in petrol, on the 
analysis of trace elements, polychlorinated biphe-
nyls  (PCBs)  and  PAHs  in  sewage  sludge,  and  on 
measurements of isotopes of plutonium and urani-
um. Other interlaboratory comparisons dealt with 
PAHs in edible oils and primary smoke condensate, 
semicarbazide in baby food and in fresh egg and 
egg products, and evaluation of the comparability 
of data collected by the JRC Institute for Environ-
ment  and  Sustainability  from  laboratories  meas-

uring radioactivity in the environment. Operating 
three  new  Community  reference  laboratories  re-
quires JRC-IRMM to organise more proficiency test 
type  campaigns  for  the  nominated  laboratories, 
according  to  their  mandate.  The  JRC-IRMM  also 
participates in comparisons organised by other in-
ternational organisations. For instance JRC-IRMM 
experts participated in a CCRI(II) key comparisons 
analysing 60Co and 55Fe, and in CCQM comparisons 
measuring  lead  in  wine  (CCQM-K30)  and  mer-
cury in water (CCQM-P100).

Consultative  Committee  on  the  Amount  of  Material  (CCQM) 
of  the  International  Committee  for  Weights  and  Measures 
(CIPM)
Consultative  Committee  for  Ionising  Radiation  (II)  (CCRI(II)) 
of  the  International  Committee  for  Weights  and  Measures 
(CIPM)

Interlaboratory comparisons organised by JRC-IRMM in 2006
(started, on-going or completed; reference material certification campaigns not included)

Topic

sulphur in petrol

Type of comparison

international measurement evaluation – IMEP-22

trace elements, PCBs and PAHs in sewage sludge international measurement evaluation –  IMEP-21

activity  concentration  of  the  radionuclides  40K, 
137Cs and 90Sr in milk powder

evaluation of comparability of data collected from Member State 
laboratories monitoring radioactivity in air, water and foodstuffs

detection of meat and bone meal by PCR

method validation by interlaboratory comparison

heavy metals in food of plant origin

proficiency test for national reference laboratories – IMEP-101

EU 15+1 PAHs in acetonitrile

proficiency test for national reference laboratories

aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 in acetonitrile

proficiency test for national reference laboratories

quantitation of PAHs in primary smoke condensate

proficiency test

analysis of PAHs in edible oils

proficiency test

quantitative determination of cocoa butter 
equivalents in milk chocolate

determination of a mixture of authorised and non-
authorised sweeteners in food

determination of animal DNA in feed by PCR
technique

uranium, plutonium and caesium isotope ratios in 
saline medium

method validation by interlaboratory comparison

method validation by interlaboratory comparison

interlaboratory comparison for pre-validation

international measurement evaluation – NUSIMEP-5

isotopic abundances of uranium

international measurement evaluation – REIMEP-18

analysis of methionine

analysis of sewage sludge

pilot study CCQM-P75 for CIPM

pilot study CCQM-P70 and key comparison CCQM-K44 for CIPM

PCBs in sewage sludge extract and in sewage sludge interlaboratory comparison for EUROMET/METCHEM project 833

PCB – polychlorinated biphenyl
PAH – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PCR – polymerase chain reaction

20 | Research highlights in 2006

55Fe half-life and activity measurements

From the Avogadro constant to a kilogram

The  radioactive 
iron-55  disintegrates  mainly 
through electron capture decay to the ground state 
of 55Mn. Having X-ray emission at 5,9 keV makes it 
very useful for calibrating low energy photon de-
tectors. The half-life of 55Fe has not yet been well 
established  as  ionisation  chambers  are  insensi-
tive  to  the  emitted  radiation,  and  the  published 
data  obtained  by  means  of  low  energy  detectors 
are inconsistent. At JRC-IRMM, experimental work 
was  undertaken  to  resolve  the  ambiguity  on  the 
55Fe half-life value. The decay of a pure 55Fe source 
was  followed  by  repeated  high  precision  activ-
ity measurements by X-ray counting at a defined 
solid angle. As a result, a new half-life value was 
determined  with  unmatched  accuracy.  The  study 
also  revealed  neglected  uncertainty  components 
in data analysis based on least squares fits, pro-
viding  an  explanation  and  remedy  for  apparent 
underestimations of uncertainty commonly found 
in the scientific literature, in particular concerning 
half-life measurements.

A recent key comparison with national metrology 
institutes  of  fifteen  countries  has  revealed  that 
most  primary  standardisation  laboratories  have 
great difficulty in determining the activity of a 55Fe 
solution  accurately.  The  JRC-IRMM  has  submit-
ted a consistent set of activity values obtained by 
means of three independent primary standardisa-
tion methods for this key comparison.

10 cm

Schematic design of the defined solid angle X-ray counter, a tool 
for primary standardisation of activity

The  kilogram  is  the  only  remaining  base  unit  in 
the International System of Units (SI) still defined 
in terms of a material artefact. A possible way of 
redefining the kilogram is via the mass of a speci-
fied number of atoms. The Avogadro constant (NA) 
could be a key to a new definition of the kilogram, 
yet it is not known within sufficiently small uncer-
tainty to make the transition from the old defini-
tion  to  a  new  one.  The  variation  of  the  interna-
tional (prototype) kilogram has been shown to be 
a few parts in 108. For its redefinition therefore, an 
uncertainty on NA of 2·10-8 relative or better, is re-
quired. The JRC-IRMM is participating in the inter-
national Avogadro project to realise the concept.

To  count  atoms,  this  research  consortium  starts 
with  a  perfect  crystal  of  pure  silicon.  Its  dimen-
sions  are  measured,  its  volume  calculated  and 
divided by the volume of one atom in the atomic 
lattice,  which  can  be  measured  by  X-ray  crystal-
lography.  Knowing  the  number  of  atoms  in  the 
crystal and the mass of the crystal, and knowing 
the mass of one mole of silicon (about 0,028 kg) 
enables the calculation of the number of atoms in 
one mole, and thus the calculation of NA.

For  many  years  the  research  was  centred  on  the 
problem  of  how  far  the  perfection  of  a  real  crys-
tal  is  away  from  the  ideal  state.  At  present,  it  is 
widely accepted that within the limits of the target 
uncertainty, the lattice parameter and the unit cell 
volume of silicon can be seen as an invariant quan-
tity when the influence of e.g. impurities is taken 
into account. It has also been shown that up to a 
relative measurement uncertainty of a few parts in 
107, the molar volume is constant, too. The combi-
nation of data from several independent measure-
ments of the unit cell and the molar volumes has 
led  to  a  value  for  the  Avogadro  constant  of  NA  = 
6,022 1353 (18) x 1023/mol in 2005.

To  continue  reducing  the  uncertainty  of  NA,  an 
improvement  in  the  molar  mass  determination 
is  needed.  This  can  be  realised  by  fabricating  a 
sphere out of silicon that consists ≥ 99,99% of 28Si, 
and where the 29Si and 30Si abundances are in the 
order of 0,005%. A relative combined uncertainty 
of  ≤  1%  on  each  of  these  abundance  corrections 
contributes  a  relative  uncertainty  on  the  molar 
mass  value  of  the  highly  enriched  28Si  of  ≤  3·10-8. 
Using  this  concept,  the  task  is  now  to  measure 
the  small  29Si  and  30Si  abundances  in  the  highly 
enriched 28Si, instead of the isotope ratios in Si of 

Research highlights in 2006 | 21

half-life  ratio  of  234U/238U  was  derived  from  pub-
lished mass spectrometric analyses of uranium in 
“secular equilibrium”. The resulting half-life ratio 
T1/2(238U)/T1/2(235U)= 6,351 ± 0,031 is in agreement 
with  the  commonly  adopted  half-life  values.  Fu-
ture experiments will narrow down the margin of 
uncertainty.

10000

material 3

s
t
n
u
o
c

f
o
r
e
b
m
u
N

1000

100

10

1

1000

100

10

10000

1000

100

10

1

0.1

material 2

material 1

5600

5800

6000

6200
Spectrum channel

6400

6600

Measured a-spectra of three 235U enriched materials.
Contribution of 234U peaks can be seen at the right hand side

natural isotopic composition as was done before. 
That results in very small corrections to the molar 
mass value of 28Si and these corrections can be di-
rectly measured.

This  concept  has  become  feasible  because  of  a 
source of very highly enriched Si isotopes in Nizh-
ny-Novgorod  (RU).  The  Institute  of  Chemistry  of 
High-Purity  Substances  of  the  Russian  Academy 
of  Sciences  has  demonstrated  its  capability  to 
produce 28Si with the required level of enrichment 
and  the  amount  needed  to  make  a  5  kg  crystal. 
The isotopic homogeneity and purity has to be as-
sured during the complete process. This is where 
JRC-IRMM comes in with its expertise in measure-
ments of isotope ratios. In 2006, the JRC-IRMM has 
measured the isotope ratios of 28Si samples at the 
different production steps. In pursuit of improve-
ments  the  dynamic  range  of  the  dedicated  mass 
spectrometer  at  JRC-IRMM  has  been  upgraded 
from  104  to  108  and  the  preparation  of  a  new  set 
of  synthetic  isotope  mixtures  for  calibration  has 
been initiated.

Nuclear decay data for geochronology

Radiometric techniques can be used to determine 
the age of rocks, sediments and fossils. They are 
based  on  the  decay  rates  of  naturally  occurring 
isotopes. The decay of  238U to  206Pb and of  235U to 
207Pb, form the basis of one of the oldest and most 
important methods of geochronology. This is partly 
due to the relatively long half-life of 238U and 235U, 
in the order of 109 years, comparable to the age of 
planet Earth. The applicability and accuracy of U-
Pb dating greatly depends on the accuracy of the 
nuclear  decay  constants.  The  currently  assumed 
values  are  mainly  based  on  only  one  precise  ex-
periment  performed  in  1971.  The  geochronology 
community  therefore  is  in  need  of  precise  meas-
urements of the 238U and 235U half-lives.

JRC-IRMM  together  with  some  European  labora-
tories,  has  launched  a  project  to  measure  these 
half-lives  directly,  involving  mass  spectrometry 
and primary activity measurements on highly en-
riched  uranium  materials.  In  parallel  with  these 
ongoing direct measurements, information on the 
half-lives has been extracted from high-resolution 
alpha spectra of three uranium materials enriched 
in 235U, using the 234U/235U activity ratio as a probe 
for  the  238U/235U  half-life  ratio.  The  isotopic  com-
position  of  the  material  was  quantified  by  mass 
spectrometry  and,  as  an  intermediate  link,  the 

22 | Research highlights in 2006

 
 
Food chain, biotechnology and
contributions to health

Food safety is one of the top priorities of the Euro-
pean Commission. The “from farm to fork” concept 
of the European legislative framework on food safe-
ty  covers  the  whole  food  chain  addressing  issues 
from traceability of cattle to contaminants in baby 
food.  Life  sciences  research  and  biotechnology 
make new exciting applications a part of our every-
day life, whether concerned with food or health.

To  implement  the  European  Commission’s  food 
safety  policy  or  to  assure  the  quality  of  testing 
results in the field of life sciences, means for the 
control  are  needed.  Monitoring  compliance  with 
labelling rules or with the regulatory limits of con-
taminants  or  additives  in  food  and  feed  must  be 
done on a reliable basis.

In response to those needs, the JRC-IRMM produces 
new reference materials, develops, validates and 
tests  analytical  methodologies,  and  explores 
the  testing  requirements  set  by  biotechnology 
research.  Many  of  the  methods  developed  and 
validated in the projects of JRC-IRMM are later re-
viewed by the international standardisation bodies 
and turned into standards. JRC-IRMM operates four 
Community  Reference  Laboratories  (see  p. 8)  and 
also supports others that form an important part of 
the risk management in the European Union.

Studies on semicarbazide

Semicarbazide is a metabolite of nitrofurazone, an 
antibiotic that is banned from use within the EU. It 
was measured to detect illegal use of nitrofurazone 
until it became known that nitrofurazone is not the 
only source of semicarbazide in processed foods. It 
may also be formed by other reactions e.g. during 
disinfection  by  hypochlorite  treatment,  or  it  may 
be transferred from gaskets used in jars. Semicar-
bazide is a weak genotoxic and carcinogenic agent 
but  its  occurrence  in  baby  food  is  a  considerable 
concern.  Certain  gasket  materials  have,  however, 
already been phased out to avoid this problem.

When the problem was acute, the JRC-IRMM and 
its collaborators developed sensitive methods to 
detect  semicarbazide  in  different  types  of  baby 
food, eggs and egg powder at levels as low as 10 
ng/g. These methods were validated by interlabo-
ratory comparisons, and in 2006 a proficiency test 
organised by JRC-IRMM showed that European lab-

oratories’ capabilities in measuring semicarbazide 
are satisfactory. A validated method was used to 
monitor semicarbazide in 107 different baby food 
products produced in 11 European countries, pur-
chased at local supermarkets in 14 Member States 
showing  that  the  semicarbazide  content  ranged 
from below 0,2 ng/g to 50 ng/g.

CoCal-2 for analysis of foreign fats in milk chocolate

Cocoa butter in chocolate can be replaced by other 
vegetable  fats,  the  so-called  cocoa  butter  equiva-
lents (CBEs). Directive 2000/36/EC allows the addi-
tion of up to 5% of vegetable fats other than cocoa 
butter.  If  CBEs  are  added,  consumers  have  to  be 
informed  by  appropriate  labelling.    But  assessing 
compliance  of  chocolate  products  with  the  label-
ling provisions cannot be done without appropriate 
methods of analysis. Therefore, the JRC-IRMM has 
developed a reliable analytical approach to detect 
and quantify CBEs in dark and milk chocolate.

Preparing chocolate powder samples for the analysis of fats

The  CoCal-1  (Cocoa  butter  Calculation)  toolbox  for 
the  analysis  of  dark  chocolate  was  published  in 
2004, and the building of CoCal-2 for milk chocolate 
was  completed  in  2006.  Both  CoCal  toolboxes  are 
built around validated methods, and advanced sta-
tistical evaluation algorithm and a calculation sheet. 
A certified cocoa butter reference material, which is 
needed for calibration of instruments, is also availa-
ble from JRC-IRMM. The analytical approach is based 
on  triacylglycerol  profiling  by  high  resolution  gas 
liquid  chromatography.  CoCal-1  and  CoCal-2  were 
subjected to validation in international collaborative 
trials organised by JRC-IRMM. The methods for the 
detection and quantification of CBEs in dark choco-
late  have  become  standardised  methods  of  the 
American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) and the Inter-
national Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Research highlights in 2006 | 23

JRC-IRMM is also carrying out a survey on the cor-
rect labelling of foreign fats in dark and milk choc-
olate samples acquired from the European market 
using CoCal-1 and CoCal-2.

European School in Mol completed the questionnaire. 
According to this study almost 9% had food allergies 
and more than 80% pay attention to food labels.

Testing food allergens

The  presence  of  food  ingredients  derived  from 
commonly  allergenic  foods  needs  to  be  declared 
on  the  product  label,  as  requested  by  European 
legislation (Directive 2000/13/EC as amended by 
Directive 2003/89/EC). This is to help the increas-
ing number of sensitised people to avoid allergic 
reactions, some of which can be life-threatening. 
The work on food allergens that takes place at the 
JRC-IRMM  aims  to  support  the  implementation 
of  the  labelling  Directives  by  providing  suitable 
methods of analysis of allergens in food products.

To  ensure  an  appropriate  labelling  of  food  prod-
ucts, food allergen detection methodology needs 
to  be  developed.  The  JRC-IRMM  currently  devel-
ops protein and DNA based methods for allergen 
detection and studies the effect of food process-
ing like heating of dairy products and roasting of 
peanuts on the sensitivity of the assays commonly 
used for allergen detection. In addition to this, val-
idation studies have been performed to determine 
the performance of allergen detection methods. In 
2006, the robustness of dipsticks designed to de-
tect peanut traces in food products was assessed 
in a collaborative trial.

The implementation of the labelling requirements 
as set out in the European legislation has prompt-
ed  the  JRC-IRMM  to  analyse  the  labels  of  more 
than  550  different  cookies  and  chocolates  with 
regard  to  the  declaration  of  the  allergenic  ingre-
dients. All these products have been analysed to 
determine their peanut and hazelnut content, al-
lowing a comparison of the analytical results with 
the information provided on the food labels.

The  allergens  project  at  JRC-IRMM  is  also  making 
this research known in schools. A project carried out 
in cooperation with the European School in Mol (BE) 
gave the pupils of the school an opportunity to visit 
the laboratories of the JRC-IRMM and to gain hands-
on experience with allergen detection methods. Earli-
er a questionnaire-based survey has been carried out 
with and Austrian secondary school (BG/BRG Tulln), 
the European School in Mol, and the research insti-
tute IFA Tulln (AT) to gain an insight in the prevalence 
of food allergies in the families. 268 families from the 

New reference materials for life sciences

In  2006,  the  JRC-IRMM  has  released  for  distri-
bution  its  first  certified  reference  materials  for 
genetic  testing.  These  reference  materials  com-
plement  the  series  of  health  related  reference 
materials that the JRC-IRMM has in its catalogue. 
The three certified reference materials are meant 
for the detection of the G20210A mutation in the 
human prothrombin (Factor II) gene (IRMM/IFCC-
490,  IRMM/IFCC-491  and  IRMM/IFCC-492),  and 
are suitable for the quality control of polymerase 
chain reaction (PCR) -based methods. The IRMM/
IFCC-490  contains  the  wild-type  sequence,  the 
IRMM/IFCC-491  contains  the  G20210A  mutation, 
and  the  IRMM/IFCC-492  contains  equal  amounts 
of  IRMM/IFCC-490  and  IRMM/IFCC-491.  The  ma-
terials were processed and certified according to 
ISO Guides 34 and 35. The certification covers the 
sequence of the 609 bp human prothrombin gene 
fragment included in a plasmid. 

DNA sequencing for analysis of pathogens

Other new releases in 2006 were two new certified 
genomic DNA reference materials for the analysis 
of food-borne pathogens. These reference materi-
als  can  be  used  as  positive  control  materials  for 
the detection of Escherichia coli O157 and Listeria 
monocytogenes by diagnostic PCR methods, or for 
harmonising and validating those methods. JRC-IRMM 
has also extended its range of clinical reference mate-
rials by a new hormone material. BCR-348R, contain-
ing approximately 8 µg/L lyophilised endogenous 
progesterone in human serum, has been certified 

24 | Research highlights in 2006

(MBM) from mammals in compound feed for rumi-
nants, which was extended in 2001 to cover feed 
for almost all farmed animals.

Still  today,  monitoring  of  feed  that  would  allow 
lifting the extended ban is hampered by the lack 
of appropriate animal specific tests, i.e. selective 
methods for detecting mammalian proteins in the 
presence of proteins from other animals. The only 
official  method  in  the  EU  is  microscopy,  which 
does not yield precise information about the origin 
of the detected bones. Other methods are applied 
to the analysis of feed samples for the presence of 
banned processed animal proteins, such as meth-
ods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), im-
munoassay and near infrared microscopy (NIRM). 

To  evaluate  the  performance  characteristics  of 
three  selected  real-time  polymerase  chain  reac-
tion (PCR) methods, the JRC-IRMM has conducted 
a pre-validation study for the detection of animal 
DNA in feed using PCR. An important outcome of 
this study is, that sensitivity and specificity of the 
methods have been significantly improved making 
PCR a promising technique for the identification of 
animal species in feed.

Feed analysis with microscope

for  its  progesterone  concentration.  It  is  suitable 
for  in  vitro  diagnostics  manufacturers  and  refer-
ence  laboratories  to  calibrate  quantitative  meas-
urement procedures.

TSE testing

Testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) 
i.e. the mad cow disease is compulsory in the EU 
for all cattle older than 30 months and for cattle of 
certain risk groups. More than 11 million rapid BSE  
tests are carried out annually in hundreds of labo-
ratories in the European Union. In the EU, the per-
formance of these tests is evaluated by JRC-IRMM. 
The evaluation of 20 different rapid BSE tests by 
JRC-IRMM in the past has led to a total of 12 tests 
approved  under  Regulation  (EC)  No  999/2001. 
Also rapid tests for the diagnosis of scrapie have 
received approval. Approving more tests has a di-
rect effect on the consumer confidence and opens 
competition in the TSE diagnostics market. A con-
siderable drop in costs has already been observed 
in several Member States.

In  2006,  JRC-IRMM  has  evaluated  a  live  animal 
BSE test. This is the first time such an evaluation 
has  been  made.  The  test  was  selected  to  enter 
JRC-IRMM’s  evaluation  programme  in  the  frame 
of  a  call  for  the  expression  of  interest  published 
by  Health  and  Consumer  Protection  DG  in  2003. 
The test of the company DiaSpec (DE) is based on 
a  sophisticated  method  using  Fourier  transform 
infrared  spectroscopy  and  applies  chemometric 
methods  for  data  analysis.  Blood  serum  of  the 
animal is analysed and the spectrum obtained  is 
compared to specific reference features of serum 
of  BSE  infected  or  BSE  free  animals.  The  report 
from  JRC-IRMM  concludes  that  the  test  demon-
strated a good, but not sufficient performance to 
be  recommended  for  approval  by  the  European 
Commission. This statement was agreed on by the 
European  Food  Safety  Authority’s  working  group 
on TSE testing in their final report. 

Meat and bone meal studies

To  prevent  bovine  spongiform  encephalopathy 
(BSE)  from  spreading,  the  European  Commission 
has taken several measures. The most important 
ones  are  the  removing  of  specified  risk  material 
from  the  food  chain,  applying  appropriate  ren-
dering  conditions  for  the  production  of  animal 
by-products  and  the  ban  of  meat  and  bone  meal 

Research highlights in 2006 | 25

A marker for animal by-products

Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 lays down rules to 
enable safe use of animal by-products that are fit 
but not intended for human consumption. It sorts 
animal  by-products  into  three  categories  accord-
ing to associated risk, and requires that materials 
of different categories are kept separated during 
collection, handling and transportation. Also, prod-
ucts derived from category 1 and category 2 need 
to be permanently marked, because they must not 
enter  the  feed  and  food  chain.  The  ideal  marker 
would  be  visible  and  detectable  by  its  olfactory 
properties, non-toxic, safe for handlers, commer-
cially  available,  inexpensive,  stable,  recoverable 
and easy to analyse. It would ensure identification 
and traceability of products to be disposed of and 
eliminate risk of fraud. 

The Directorate-General for Health and Consumer 
Protection  has  asked  JRC-IRMM  to  evaluate  the 
characteristics of substances that may be suitable 
for  this  purpose.  The  JRC-IRMM  proposed  to  use 
glyceroltriheptonate (GTH) as a chemical marker. 
It meets the requirements of the legislation, and 
in  addition  could  be  used  in  the  animal  by-prod-
uct industry as it withstands extreme sterilisation 
conditions. An implementation study at ten Euro-
pean rendering plants has demonstrated that GTH 
added in rendering plants is a suitable marker for 
animal by-products from category 1 and 2. In the 
frame of that implementation study the JRC-IRMM 
has developed a method for the detection of GTH 
in  meat  and  bone  meal  (MBM)  and  rendered  fat. 
The  method  is  based  on  gas  chromatography 
coupled  to  mass  spectrometry  (GC-MS)  and  was 
validated in a single-laboratory study. It was also 
used  to  analyse  the  samples  collected  from  the 
rendering plants.

Organic food

Authenticity  of  organic  food  is  one  of  the  issues 
where the consumer’s trust is put on trial. Current-
ly the only possibility to check whether a farmer’s 
production system complies with organic farming 
is to  have on-site inspections and audit trails cov-
ering  all  stages  in  the  production  process.  How-
ever,  the  verification  of  the  authenticity  of  end 
products at the point of sale (whole sale, distribu-
tor, supermarket) is difficult due to lack of analyti-
cal methodologies giving conclusive answers. So 
far no single testing method for authentication of 
organic food or for distinction from conventionally 

produced food has been proven suitable and vali-
dated.

The JRC-IRMM is investigating the combined use of 
several physico-chemical and biological methods 
to discriminate the organically grown from the con-
ventionally grown crops. Controlled experimental 
field tests have been designed with a Belgian or-
ganic  farmers  association  and  certified  farmers. 
Crop samples (winter wheat, horse beans, potato 
and  carrots)  produced  under  the  same  climatic 
and  pedological  conditions  but  under  different 
production systems i.e. organic vs. conventional, 
have been collected from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 
harvests. Along with the crops soil samples were 
taken from the fields, and their physical, chemical 
and biological parameters were analysed.

Organic carrots (cv. Népal)

About 20 different methods have been applied to 
analyse dry matter, total nitrogen, proteins, gene 
expression, trace elements, radionuclides, stable 
isotopes  of  light  elements,  phenolic  acids  (plant 
metabolites),  antioxidant  and  anti-mutagenic 
activities.  In  2006,  two-dimensional  difference 
gel  electrophoresis  (2-D  DIGE)  was  added  to  the 
suite of methods. This approach enables accurate 
analysis of differences in abundance of individual 
proteins  between  organically  and  conventionally 
grown  samples.  Statistical  data  evaluation  tech-
niques have been applied to find suitable variable 
combinations  for  distinguishing  between  the  or-
ganically  and  conventionally  grown  crops.  Some 
samples will be analysed to evaluate the robust-
ness of the selected analytical methods within the 
network of experts established by JRC-IRMM.

26 | Research highlights in 2006

Protecting the European environment

The implementation of legislation on environmen-
tal protection is closely linked with measurement 
results. The monitoring data are the basis for deci-
sions  that  can  have  significant  consequences  for 
the environment or the industry. Therefore those 
results need to be reliable and comparable.

The JRC-IRMM’s work is in particular related to the 
implementation of the Water Framework Directive 
(2000/60/EC),  Drinking  Water  Directive  (98/83/
EC),  RoHS  Directive  (2002/95/EC),  Nitrate  Direc-
tive (91/676/EEC), Air Quality Directive (96/62/EC 
and 2004/107/EC), the Thematic Strategy for Soil 
Protection  (COM(2002)179  final),  and  Articles  35 
and 36 of the Euratom Treaty. The JRC-IRMM pro-
vides testing laboratories with reference materials 
and proficiency testing schemes and develops and 
validates methods of analysis.

Investigating how isotopic techniques can be used 
for identifying sources of pollution has been a re-
search topic at JRC-IRMM for the last three years. 
It is commonly known, that processes occurring in 
nature  e.g.  evaporation,  condensation  or  oxida-
tion,  affect  the  relative  abundances  of  isotopes. 
This  isotopic  information  could  be  used  to  iden-
tify and quantify pollution sources and to assess 
the  effectiveness  of  environmental  management 
plans.  The  JRC-IRMM  studies  the  analysis  of  iso-
topes in nitrates, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene 
and  xylene,  PAHs,  CO2  and  N2O.  Its  intention  is 
to  make  these  research  tools  more  accessible  to 
those that implement and monitor the implemen-
tation of directives.

Isotope  techniques  can  also  be  applied  to  study 
kinetic effects in fuel cells. In 2006, the JRC-IRMM 
and the JRC Institute for Energy (IE) have applied 
13C/12C  analysis  in  demonstrating  the  behaviour 
of fuel cell anodes in proton exchange membrane 
(PEM) cells.

Tracing sources of nitrate pollution

Nitrate  isotope  analysis  (d15N  and  d18O  values) 
enables to discriminate mineral fertilizers, organic 
nitrogen from soil and domestic wastewater or an-
imal manure as potential nitrate sources. In 2006, 
the  isotope  techniques  developed  at  JRC-IRMM 
have been put in use.

Nitrate concentration in surface waters has to be 
monitored  by  the  Member  States  and  reported 
to the European Commission every four years. In 
Flanders (BE), for instance, a network of 800 sur-
face water sampling points has been established, 
and sampling is carried out regularly. Despite the 
measures taken to reduce the nitrate pressure from 
agriculture  the  monitoring  results  have  shown 
trends  evolving  in  the  opposite  direction.  Since 
the knowledge of nitrate concentrations does not 
allow to identify the sources, isotope techniques 
were applied to find some of the answers.

To identify the source of nitrate the JRC-IRMM meas-
ured samples collected by the Flemish Environment 
Agency  (VMM)  from  six  sampling  locations  in  the 
northern  region  of  Flanders  (BE).  The  aim  was  to 
investigate  whether  other  potential  sources  than 
manure  e.g.,  greenhouse  or  domestic  wastewater 
discharges,  mineral  fertilizers,  or  nitrogen  in  soil, 
significantly contribute to the observed nitrate pol-
lution.  Combined  d15N  and  d18O  analysis  of  nitrate 
in  water  samples  confirmed  that  in  four  of  the  six 
sampling  points  nitrate  pollution  could  be  almost 
completely attributed to animal manure application. 
In  two  of  these  points,  the  isotope  data  indicated 
a  significant  contribution  of  mineral  fertilizers  or 
greenhouse  discharges  (20-90%)  at  several  sam-
pling dates. In two of the six points,  d15N and  d18O 
data indicate that both animal manure and domestic 
wastewater contributed to the observed nitrate pol-
lution. Additional analysis of boron isotopes would 
enable  to  discriminate  between  those  two  sources 
so the study continues by carrying out d11B analysis.

Analysis of trace elements in environmental samples at JRC-IRMM

Research highlights in 2006 | 27

320 have also been certified. Indicative values for 
Se  and  Sn  are  available  for  all  three  materials. 
They help monitoring laboratories in the Member 
States in obtaining reliable and comparable data 
for sediment monitoring in the frame of the Water 
Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.

The JRC-IRMM offers a wide range of certified reference mate-
rials for the analysis of environmental samples

The  Air  Quality  Framework  Directive  96/62/EC 
and its first (1999/30/EC) and fourth (2004/107/
EC) Daughter Directives require the monitoring of 
As, Cd, Ni, Pb and some polycyclic aromatic hydro-
carbons  (PAHs)  in  particulate  matter  of  an  aero-
dynamic  diameter  of  less  than  10  µm  (so-called 
PM10).  At  present  no  suitable  reference  material 
certified exists for those elements and/or PAHs in 
PM10  that  would  support  the  monitoring  labora-
tories in their analytical quality control. Now JRC-
IRMM is testing the suitability of different sources 
of air particulate matter as a PM10 reference mate-
rial. Also the processing technologies to obtain a 
sufficiently small particle size and good homoge-
neity of the material are investigated.

Analytical  quality  control  for  the  Water  Frame-
work Directive

The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC sets 
out  a  long-term  perspective  for  the  management 
and protection of waters. It requires that all inland 
and coastal waters within defined river basin dis-
tricts  must  reach  good  status  by  2015.  To  imple-
ment the Water Framework Directive the Member 
States  need  to  design  monitoring  programmes. 
The  effectiveness  of  the  implementation  will 
greatly  depend  on  the  ability  of  Member  States’ 
laboratories  to  measure  chemical,  biological  and 
ecological changes of the quality of the waters.

As these monitoring data are the basis for regula-
tory  decisions  and  measures  required  to  achieve 
the  environmental  objectives  of  the  Directive, 
analytical quality assurance and control measures 
have to be established across all EU laboratories 
involved  in  monitoring.  The  European  project 
EAQC-WISE (European Analytical Quality Control in 
support of the Water Framework Directive via the 
Water Information System for Europe) addresses 
these  issues.  Its  aim  is  to  develop  a  sustainable 
system  to  ensure  comparability  of  data  for  the 
needs of the Directive.

The project in which the JRC-IRMM acts as scientif-
ic coordinator, first assesses the current status of 
quality assurance and control tools like proficien-
cy testing, reference materials, validated or stand-
ardised methods, and training and research in the 
field  of  water  monitoring.  Based  on  that  assess-
ment  a  “blueprint”  is  developed.  Such  a  system 
should provide confidence in the whole analytical 
process, from sampling to reporting, for chemical 
and biological parameters from monitoring at river 
basin scale as well as at European scale. The sys-
tem  should  make  use  of  existing  structures  and 
best practice.

New reference materials

Three  new  certified  reference  materials  for  the 
analysis of sediments were released for distribu-
tion in 2006. BCR-277R, BCR-280R and BCR-320R 
replace  the  exhausted  batches  of  an  estuarine 
sediment,  a  lake  sediment  and  a  channel  sedi-
ment.  These  materials  are  designed  for  assess-
ing method performance and for quality control of 
sediment measurement results. They are certified 
for their content of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Zn. 
The contents of Fe, Mn, Sc, Th, Tl, U and V in BCR-

28 | Research highlights in 2006

Nuclear safety and security

Many issues related to nuclear safety and security 
require  accurate  calculations  using  nuclear  and 
isotopic data. Isotope analysis, absolute measure-
ments of radiation i.e. radionuclide metrology, and 
measurements  of  neutron  induced  reactions  and 
cross-section  standards  have  been  key  activities 
of the JRC-IRMM since it started operation in 1960. 
For instance, the JRC-IRMM performs SI-traceable 
extremely  accurate  radioactivity  measurements 
supporting  the  European  and  international  me-
trology  organisations.  The  JRC-IRMM  provides 
certified isotopic reference materials for environ-
mental  analysis  and  so-called  spikes  for  calibra-
tion of nuclear detection techniques in support of 
the Euratom safeguards. From the onset the JRC-
IRMM  has  been  a  major  provider  of  microscopic 
neutron data (cross sections) in Europe. Measure-
ments carried out at its Van de Graaff and neutron 
time-of-flight  facilities  have  played  a  significant 
role  in  establishing  and  improving  the  evaluated 
nuclear data file maintained at the databank of the 
Nuclear  Energy  Agency  (NEA)  of  Organisation  for 
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 
Among  others,  the  10B(n,a)  and  several  fission 
cross-section standards are still valid today. In line 
with the JRC’s research goals in the 6th Framework 
Programme  neutron  data  related  to  waste  man-
agement  has  taken  a  large  part  in  the  JRC-IRMM 
research programme.

Large size dried spikes

Measurements  for  nuclear  material  accounting 
and control need reference materials as the foun-
dation  of  the  measurement  processes.  The  JRC-
IRMM  specialises  in  isotopic  reference  materials 
and has, for instance, developed large size dried 
spikes.  They  are  used  extensively  in  safeguards 
and  the  nuclear  industry  for  measuring  the  con-
tents of uranium and plutonium in dissolved fuel. 
Approximately  one  batch  of  over  1000  units  of 
these spikes is prepared at JRC-IRMM per year. A 
novelty was introduced in 2006: an automatic unit 
for the dispensing and ampouling of the large size 
dried spikes was installed and tested.

ensures the dried material is fixed on the base of 
the vials for transport.

The  certification  of  amounts  of  spike  in  the  indi-
vidual vials was based on the masses of the met-
als  dissolved,  their  certified  contents,  the  total 
mass  of  solution  and  the  mass  of  the  amounts 
dispensed  into  each  vial.  The  isotope  content 
of  the  solution  was  verified  by  taking  samples, 
spiking  with  a  IRMM  certified  reference  material 
(IRMM-049c) and after chemical sample treatment 
measuring the uranium and plutonium isotopic ra-
tios by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. After 
dispensing  and  drying,  the  same  procedure  was 
carried out for a selection of the vials across the 
whole sequence. The 1027i batch is the 10th in line 
offered by JRC-IRMM since 1988.

An automated system for dispensing and ampouling of large 
sized dried spikes was installed at JRC-IRMM in 2006

Gas analysis for nuclear safeguards

In  2006,  the  batch  IRMM-1027i  was  completed. 
The materials – uranium and plutonium in metallic 
form – were dissolved completely already in 2005 
and  the  solution  was  dispensed  into  individual 
vials, each engraved with an identifier, and dried 
carefully. A covering of a cellulose based material 

The JRC has investigated the potential and limita-
tions  of  such  a  technique.  In  the  end  of  1990s  a 
feasibility study was performed by JRC-IRMM and 
the JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements inves-
tigating  the  potential  of  identifying  reprocessing 
activities  by  means  of  isotopic  measurements  of 

Research highlights in 2006 | 29

xenon  and  krypton.  Calculations  were  performed 
on the nuclear inventory of spent fuel for reactor 
operating scenarios used for electricity generation 
(high burn-up) as well as for scenarios suspected 
for  production  of  weapons  grade  plutonium  (low 
burn-up).  During  reprocessing  of  the  spent  fuels 
significant isotopic alterations of stable xenon and 
krypton are caused by dilution of the released no-
ble gases with the atmospheric ones, which can be 
simulated as isotope mixing at different blending 
ratios.

In 2006 the expert meeting on noble gas monitor-
ing of the Department of Safeguards of the Inter-
national  Atomic  Energy  Agency  (IAEA)  reviewed 
the  applicability  of  noble  gas  sampling,  analysis 
and  monitoring.  The  recommendation  of  the  ex-
pert group was that use of stable xenon isotopes 
and  85Kr  in  local  noble  gas  monitoring  should  be 
explored. This could be used to confirm operator’s 
declaration  of  reprocessed  fuel  at  declared  large 
reprocessing plants. Within some constraints the 
accumulated  information  gained  from  xenon  sig-
natures  could  also  provide  valuable  information 
for  nuclear  safeguards  verification  of  undeclared 
reprocessing  activities.  One  requirement  in  view 
of  quality  control  is  to  enable  comparability  of 
measurement results via traceability to noble gas 
standards  of  highest  metrological  quality.  JRC-
IRMM  has  prepared  a  unique  set  of  primary  iso-
topic gas standards certified for the isotopic com-
position and molar mass of xenon and krypton.

Radioactivity in milk powder

Based on Commission Recommendation 2000/473/ 
Euratom and Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty, the 
EU  Member  States  are  obliged  to  monitor  radio-
activity in the environment as well as in selected 
foodstuffs, and to report the monitoring results to 
the European Commission. To evaluate the compa-
rability of those data, JRC-IRMM organises regular 
measurement  comparisons  where  all  participat-
ing laboratories receive a test sample certified by 
JRC-IRMM.  The  purpose  of  the  latest  comparison 
exercise was to obtain a realistic estimate of the 
accuracy of radioactivity measured in milk during 
routine monitoring.

After distributing more than 130 units of milk pow-
der to laboratories in all Member States and Can-
didate  Countries,  the  laboratories  were  asked  to 
determine the activity concentration of the radio-
nuclides 40K, 137Cs and 90Sr in this material. In 2006, 
the measurement results from the 59 participating 
laboratories from 30 countries were evaluated.

The reported  137Cs and  40K activity concentrations 
obtained by gamma spectrometry were generally 
in  agreement  with  the  reference  activity  concen-
tration even though the measurement uncertainty 
was often underestimated. The analysis of results 
of 90Sr activity concentration, however, pointed out 
a different problem. According to statistical tests,

)
g
k
/
q
B
(
n
o
i
t
a
r
t
n
e
c
n
o
c
y
t
i
v
i
t
c
a
r
S
0
9

Laboratories participating in the interlaboratory comparison exercise

44 of the 59 laboratories that participated in the interlaboratory comparison exercise measuring radioactivity in milk powder 
reported results for 90Sr activity concentration. The red lines show the reference value (solid line) and the range (dashed line)

30 | Research highlights in 2006

 
 
 
about 1/3 of all reported 90Sr results are not com-
patible with the reference value, and 10 laborato-
ries deviate more than 30% from it. 90Sr decays via 
emitting  electrons  (b-)  only  and  the  analysis  in-
volves destructive sample preparation and radio-
chemical separation followed by counting in liquid 
scintillation or proportional counters. The results 
of this interlaboratory comparison show the need 
to improve those procedures in some of the labo-
ratories.

External quality control for nuclear laboratories: 
REIMEP-18

Regular  European  Interlaboratory  Measurement 
Evaluation  Programme  (REIMEP)  was  started  by 
JRC-IRMM in 1978 for carrying out external control 
of the quality of the measurements of the nuclear 
fuel  cycle  materials.  In  the  REIMEP  campaigns 
samples matching materials analysed routinely in 
the nuclear fuel cycle are sent to participating lab-
oratories for measurements and to date 17 REIMEP 
campaigns have been completed, which involved 
safeguards  laboratories  throughout  the  world. 
Participation  in  such  measurement  campaigns  is 
an integral part of the quality control required for 
nuclear safeguards laboratories worldwide.

The REIMEP-18, that was completed in 2006, has 
been  the  largest  nuclear  isotopic  measurement 
campaign organised by JRC-IRMM so far. Samples 
were  shipped  to  85  registered  participants,  and 
the  JRC-IRMM  received  results  from  71  laborato-
ries. The participating laboratories were asked to 
determine  the  isotopic  composition  of  uranium 
ranging from depleted to slightly enriched urani-
um in four samples. 

Certification  measurements  were  carried  out  at 
JRC-IRMM using state-of-the-art mass spectromet-
ric methodology. A UF6 gas source mass spectrom-
eter  was  used  to  determine  the  n(235U)/n(238U) 
ratios  and  a  TRITON  thermal  ionisation  mass 
spectrometer for the minor isotope ratios n(234U)/
n(238U)  and  n(236U)/n(238U).  Verification  measure-
ments  on  ampouled  samples  performed  prior  to 
shipping  showed  good  agreement  with  the  certi-
fied ratios.

The  results  of  the  REIMEP-18  campaign  confirm 
the  excellent  capability  of  nuclear  safeguards 
and other participating laboratories in measuring 
isotopic  abundances  of  uranium,  although  some 
problems were discovered for the measurements 
of  the  minor  isotope  ratios  n(234U)/n(238U)  and 
n(236U)/n(238U),  and  in  calculating  measurement 
uncertainties.

0,001130

sample C
sample C

)
U
8
3
2
(
n
/
)
U

6
3
2
(
n

0,001080

0,001030

0,000980

0,000930

TIMS

TIMS-TE

MC-ICP-MS

SF-ICP-MS

HR-ICP-MS

ICP-IDMS

ICP-QMS

Alpha
spectrometry

LASER

10,0

8,0

6,0

4,0

2,0

0,0

-2,0

-4,0

-6,0

-8,0

-10,0

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

90

Results from all participants

Results for the n(236U)/n(238U) ratio for sample REIMEP-18C, measured by participants using various mass spectrometric techniques 
such as accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), isotope selective laser ionisa-
tion mass spectrometry (LASER), thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS), and TIMS with total evaporation (TIMS-TE).
n(236U)/n(238U) certified range (±U=2uc ): 0,00103326-0,00103414

Research highlights in 2006 | 31

Neutron  dosimetry  and  spectrometry  using  acti-
vation

The  increasing  number  of  nuclear  installations 
world-wide  also  increases  the  need  for  monitor-
ing  possible  neutron  radiation  and  doses  in  the 
environment. This and issues like personal safety, 
safety at work or benchmarking of existing moni-
toring  techniques  are  sometimes  directly  linked 
to whether precise neutron fluence monitoring is 
possible.  However,  conventional  techniques  for 
detecting  neutrons  and  measurement  of  neutron 
energy spectra in particular, often require use of 
bulky  equipment  with  delicate  electronics.  Such 
measurements are also time consuming and when 
using  spectrometry,  data  evaluations,  analysis 
and data reduction at advanced level are usually 
necessary.

JRC-IRMM with its collaborators has tested an al-
ternative approach. It is based on measuring the 
activity induced by a neutron field in metal disks. 
A rather simple passive detector device is placed 
at  the  measurement  site  while  measurements  of 
the activated disks are carried out in a specialised 
laboratory.  The  activation  measurements  are  fol-
lowed by spectrum unfolding to obtain a complete 
neutron  energy  spectrum.  This  detector  has  a 
number of distinct advantages:

•

•

•

•

•

it is only sensitive to neutron radiation,
it  can  be  made  small,  it  requires  no  electrical 
power on measurement site and it is robust, 
it can be placed at remote locations or locations 
with difficult access and/or in hazardous envi-
ronments,
it  is  energy  sensitive  over  a  large  neutron  en-
ergy area, and
it is of relatively low cost.

There are numerous situations where better knowl-
edge  of  the  neutron  spectrum  would  facilitate  a 
better understanding of the origin of the neutrons, 
scattering effects or possible shielding effects. In 
this study, the detector is designed as a neutron 
spectrometer, but its extension to neutron dosim-
etry using a different design is possible.

32 | Research highlights in 2006

A passive detector used for neutron dosimetry is tested at 
JRC-IRMM

Lead and bismuth data for transmutation studies

Studies  related  to  minimising  highly  radioactive 
waste  need  neutron  data.  For  instance,  lead  and 
bismuth  are  candidate  coolants  for  accelerator 
driven  systems  (ADS)  optimised  for  waste  trans-
mutation  and  for  certain  fast  reactors  of  Genera-
tion-IV  type.  Some  uncertainties  in  calculations 
are  due  to  lack  of  sufficiently  accurate  neutron 
data. To facilitate better reactor design, the data 
files  need  to  be  improved.  Various  studies  have 
concluded that the uncertainties in the prediction 
of the neutron flux inside an ADS target are largely 
due to the lack of accurate data for inelastic neu-
tron  scattering  and  (n,2n)  cross  sections  of  lead 
and  bismuth  isotopes.  Apart  from  that,  these  el-
ements occupy a large volume fraction in lead or 
bismuth cooled reactors and are therefore respon-
sible  for  the  removal  of  a  significant  number  of 
neutrons  through  capture  reactions  even  though 
they have low capture cross sections. The 210mBi re-
sulting of capture of a neutron by 209Bi, has a very 
long half-life of 3·106 years and can thus be consid-
ered radioactive waste, while  210gBi decays with a 
half-life of five days to the radioisotope 210Po.

In 2006, the measurements of 206,207,208Pb and 209Bi 
neutron inelastic scattering and (n,2n) cross sec-
tions  were  completed  at  JRC-IRMM.  Exception-
ally  good  energy  resolution  and  accuracy  were 
obtained. A measurement campaign to determine 
the ratio of production of 210mBi to 210gBi at neutron 
energies in the keV range was also carried out and 
206Pb neutron capture and transmission cross sec-
tions in the resonance range were measured.

These measurements can be used to improve the 
assessment of neutron removal in an ADS, and to-
gether with measurements of the neutron capture 
and total cross sections of 206Pb of JRC-IRMM, will 
allow  improved  reactor  calculations.  JRC-IRMM 
participates in the European Research Programme 
for the Transmutation of High Level Nuclear Waste 
in  an  Accelerator  Driven  System  (EUROTRANS 
project) that aims to the assessment and demon-
stration  of  the  technical  feasibility  of  transmuta-
tion  using  ADS.  It  coordinates  the  neutron  data 
measurements at low and intermediate energy.

)
n
r
a
b
(
n
o
i
t
c
e
s
s
s
o
r
C

1

0.5

0

800            850          900           950          1000   

Neutron energy (keV) 

High resolution and high precision cross section for inelastic scat-
tering of neutrons by 206Pb, as measured at JRC-IRMM. The energy 
dependence of the cross section reflects the resonances character-
istic of the interaction of a neutron with this isotope of lead

Neutron induced activation in structural materials

Materials subject to intense fields of neutrons un-
dergo  a  number  of  changes  as  neutrons  interact 
with atomic nuclei. Atoms are dislocated, foreign 
atoms  are  introduced,  hydrogen  and  helium  gas 
inclusions develop and radioisotopes grow in. As a 
result, materials swell, tensile properties and criti-
cal  parameters  such  as  breaking  points  change, 
and handling and reuse become subject to radia-
tion safety restrictions.

Neutron  induced  activation  cross  sections  are 
needed  to  fix  the  probabilities  of  the  processes 
by  which  materials  are  modified  by  irradiation. 
Improved  accuracies  for  such  probabilities  allow 
a  better  understanding  of  material  damage  and 
activation resulting in more reliable assessments 

of  structural  integrity  and  radiation  safety.  Such 
information is especially interesting for reactions 
where isotopes of hydrogen and helium are emit-
ted, or which lead to radioactive final products.

Low  activation  steels  are  investigated  because 
of  their  use  in  accelerator  driven  systems  and  in 
nuclear fusion test facilities. Cr, Cu, Ni, Ta and W 
are the main components that are interesting from 
activation point of view. In 2006, JRC-IRMM carried 
out experiments to determine the activation cross 
sections of Cr, Cu, Ni, Ta and W. For Cr, Ni and Cu 
three  reactions  were  studied  that  concern  rare 
pathways  to  the  well-known  medium  half-life  ra-
dioisotopes  48V,  54Mn,  56Co and  59Fe. Two of these 
reactions also produce tritium. Tungsten and tan-
talum  are  expected  to  have  low  activation  cross 
sections but they are not well known. At JRC-IRMM 
the  reaction  cross  sections  in  which  isotopes  of
hydrogen or helium are produced, were determined. 
The results were adopted as a guide for improved 
evaluations in the latest version of the European 
Activation File (EAF2007).

JRC-IRMM 2006

)
b
m

(
n
o
i
t
c
e
s
s
s
o
r
C

2

1

0

186W(n,a) 183Hf

15 

   20

Neutron energy (MeV) 

The new measurements at JRC-IRMM of neutron-induced acti-
vation  cross  sections  of  the  reaction  producing  He  on  one  of 
the three major isotopes of tungsten are the first for energies 
above  15  MeV.  Tungsten  is  commonly  used  in  low  activation 
materials  and  helium  gas  build-up  can  cause  embrittlement. 
Predictions from various libraries scatter considerably empha-
sising the need for measurements to guide estimates for the 
production of helium gas. Full lines are predictions from major 
libraries  (dark  cyan:  JENDL-3.1/JEFF3.1,  dark  blue:  ENDF/B-VI, 
blue: EAF-2005, orange: TALYS-0.57), while the points around 
14 MeV are from earlier measurements by others

Research highlights in 2006 | 33

 
 
 
 
 
Better  fission  cross  section  data  –  safer  nuclear 
energy production 

Fission products are an important by-product of nuclear 
reactors, which have to be accounted for in criticality 
estimates of operating reactors as well as in criticali-
ty estimates of spent nuclear fuel. The strive towards 
higher  burn-up  in  present  Generation-III  European 
pressurised water reactors (EPR) and future Genera-
tion-IV systems implies an increased demand for ac-
curacy of the most significant fission products.

Within  the  collaboration  agreement  between  the 
US Department of Energy (DOE, USA) and Euratom, 
the JRC-IRMM is performing a study of capture and 
transmission measurements with the Oak Ridge Na-
tional Laboratory measuring isotopes of interest to 
criticality safety studies. Fission cross sections are 
investigated together with the Los Alamos National 
Laboratory.  So  far,  the  capture  and  transmission 
cross sections of 55Mn, 103Rh and 133Cs have been ob-
tained at the linear accelerator facility of JRC-IRMM.

The 235U prompt fission neutron spectrum

In 2006, JRC-IRMM investigated the energy spec-
trum of neutrons emitted after fission of 235U, which 
is the most important isotope for energy produc-
tion in a reactor. The Working Party on Evaluation 
Cooperation  of  the  OECD-NEA  has  requested  the 
investigation as the accuracy of experimental data 
and theoretical modelling for this process are still 
insufficient.  New  measurements  were  started  at 
the Van de Graaff accelerator of JRC-IRMM to ob-
tain a better accuracy and statistical precision.

)
n
r
a
b
(
n
o
i
t
c
e
s
s
s
o
r
C

0,4

0,3

0,2

0,1

0,0

16O(n,a0) 13C

15 

5,2 

6,0 

5,6 
Neutron energy (MeV) 

6,4 

6,8 

7,2 

7,6

The  16O(n,a)13C  cross  section  measured  at  the  JRC-IRMM  Van 
de Graaff accelerator in 2006 (black; preliminary data) in com-
parison with the ENDF/B-VI (2001, blue line) and ENDF/B-VIIb2 
(2005, purple line) evaluations

34 | Research highlights in 2006

The new measurements have yielded a much bet-
ter  statistical  accuracy  than  anything  reported  in 
the literature so far. Comparison with other exper-
imental  data  show  different  levels  of  agreement 
within  the  statistical  uncertainties  given.  A  com-
parison with the theoretical models has revealed 
discrepancies in the emitted neutron energy range 
1 to 4 MeV. By using two different detectors at dif-
ferent  angles  relative  to  the  incoming  neutron 
beam a probable angular dependence of the spec-
trum was discovered, which has been overlooked 
in existing evaluations. The goal in 2007 is to in-
vestigate  this  possible  angular  dependence  in 
more detail with an improved set-up consisting of 
four detectors at different angles. 

The 16O(n,a)13C reaction cross section for criticality 
predictions

The OECD-NEA keeps a priority list of the nuclear 
data requirements. A subgroup of one of its work-
ing parties has investigated the under-prediction 
of reactivity of light water reactors with the most 
recent  nuclear  data  evaluations,  and  suggested 
new  measurements  of  the  16O(n,a)13C  cross  sec-
tion. In light water reactors, fuel elements are usu-
ally made of uranium oxide (UO2) or mixed oxide 
(UO2  –  PuO2)  and  water  (H2O)  is  used  as  a  mod-
erator  and  as  coolant.  To  improve  the  reactivity 
predictions of thermal and fast reactors as well as 
the calculation of helium production in a reactor a 
better knowledge of the reaction 16O(n,a)13C is nec-
essary. Knowledge of the helium production is im-
portant for evaluating the performance of fuel pins 
and  claddings  since  helium  gas  build-up  causes 
embrittlement  of  the  material.  The  16O(n,a)13C  re-
action makes up 25% of the total helium produc-
tion and contributes 7% to its uncertainty.

In  2006,  a  measurement  campaign  at  JRC-IRMM 
was  started  with  a  time  projection  chamber  and 
a  mixture  of  Kr  (97%)  –  CO2  (3%)  gas  sample  at 
the  Van  de  Graaff  accelerator.  The  incident  neu-
tron  energy  range  of  6  to  7,5  MeV  and  at  5  MeV 
was covered and the preliminary analysis showed 
that the JRC-IRMM data are close to the evaluated 
data  in  the  ENDF/B-VI  library  for  the  6,5  to  7,5 
MeV range. There is disagreement with the most 
recent  version  ENDF/B-VIIb2,  though.  At  5  MeV 
the agreement is with ENDF/B-VIIb2 and the data 
disagree  with  ENDF/B-VI.  The  measurement  pro-
gramme will be extended in 2007.

 
 
Key measurements for the thorium fuel cycle

Using a Th-U fuel cycle for nuclear power produc-
tion instead of the conventional U-Pu cycle would 
reduce  the  amount  of  plutonium  and  minor  acti-
nides  like  neptunium  and  curium  in  the  waste. 
To  develop  this  concept  some  nuclear  reactions 
need to be known more accurately. JRC-IRMM car-
ries  out  measurements  on  the  capture  and  total 
cross sections of 232Th, the fission cross section of 
234U in the resonance region and the fission cross 
sections for  231Pa and  233Pa in the fast neutron re-
gion. The new experimental data measured at JRC-
IRMM can help improve the feasibility studies and 
risk assessment of advanced nuclear applications 
based on the thorium-uranium fuel cycle.

In 2006, the measurements and data evaluation of 
the capture cross section of 232Th were completed 
producing also full covariance information for the 
entire  energy  range.  These  results  were  used  in 
the new evaluation conducted by the Coordinated 
Research Project of the IAEA. The covariance infor-
mation of the neutron capture measurements was 
adopted for the new ENDF/B-VII evaluation.

In 2005, the fission cross section of 231Pa in the en-
ergy range of 15 to 21 MeV was measured directly 
for the first time, and in 2006 the JRC-IRMM inves-
tigated the 231Pa(n,f) cross section at incident neu-
tron energies below 6 MeV. Prompt fission neutron 
spectra and multiplicities of Pa isotopes up to 50 
MeV incident neutron energy were also calculated 
with  collaborators  using  modelling  based  on  the 
experimental results obtained at JRC-IRMM.

JRC-IRMM measurements incorporated in new evaluations and international databases in 2006

Data

Database

Field of application

Temperature dependent transmission 
measurements on natural hafnium

JEFF-3.1 library
OECD-NEA EXFOR database

Temperature dependent transmission 
measurements for 240, 242Pu

JEFF 3.1 library
OECD-NEA EXFOR database

safety of nuclear reactors

safety of nuclear reactors

231Pa fission cross section data 

IAEA Th/U CRP

minimising nuclear waste

231, 233Pa prompt fission neutron multiplicity 
and spectrum data

IAEA Th/U CRP

minimising nuclear waste

Total and capture cross sections of 206Pb

JEFF 3.1 library

transmutation of nuclear waste

Resonance parameter evaluation for 206Pb

JEFF 3.1 library

transmutation of nuclear waste

Covariance file for 232Th in the unresolved 
resonance region

High resolution measurements of 237Np

Activation cross sections of isotopes of Zr, 
W, Ta and for specific reactions of Cr, Ni 
and Cu 

Nuclear Data Section of IAEA

transmutation of nuclear waste

JEFF 3.1 library
OECD-NEA EXFOR database

European Activation File Project
OECD-NEA EXFOR database

transmutation of nuclear waste

transmutation of nuclear waste

JEFF – Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion File
OECD-NEA – Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 
EXFOR – EXchange FORmat
IAEA CRP – Coordinated Research Project of the International Atomic Energy Agency
ENDF – American Evaluated Nuclear Data File

Research highlights in 2006 | 35

Institute in figures

Budget

The  Institute  is  funded  by  the  JRC  budget  from 
the EU Framework Programmes for Research and 
Technological Development, both of the European 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Com-
munity  (Euratom).  The  Institute  budget  consists 
of  institutional  credits  coming  directly  from  the 
JRC budget for the 6th Framework Programme, and 
the  competitive  income.  The  institutional  credits 
contain staff expenses, technical and administra-
tive  support  and  operational  appropriations.  The 
competitive income comprises shared cost actions 
under the Framework Programmes and other com-
petitive  contracts  with  the  Commission,  work  for 
third parties and the distribution of reference ma-
terials.

10-15%  of  the  Institute’s  budget  is  competitive 
income.  It  has  increased  throughout  the  three 
Framework Programmes (see below Figure on com-
petitive income through FP4-FP6) and has reached 
a sustainable level. In comparison to 2005 an in-
crease of 31% has been recorded. Success rate in 
filing for competitive contracts was 63%.

Competitive activities (ke) in FP6

2003 2004 2005 2006

Competitive contracts

1299

3088

1691

2687

Work for third parties

281

190

335

403

Reference material distribution

1394

1587

1821

1949

Total

2974

4865

3847

5039

FP4
FP5
FP6

)

e
k
(
e
m
o
c
n

i
e
v
i
t
i
t
e
p
m
o
C

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0

    1 

2 

3 

4

Year of the framework programme

36 | Institute in figures

 
 
European projects and networks for research in which the JRC-IRMM participated in 2006

Networks of excellence

CASCADE

EUROFIR

Chemicals as contaminants in the food chain

European food information resource network

EUROGENTEST

Genetic testing in Europe

MONIQA

NEUROPRION

Integrated projects

BIOCOP

CO-EXTRA

EUROTRANS

TRACE

Monitoring and quality assurance in the food supply chain

Prevention, control and management of prion diseases

New technologies to screen multiple chemical contaminants in foods

GM and non-GM supply chains: Co-existence and traceability

European research programme for the transmutation of high level nuclear 
waste in an accelerator driven system

Tracing the origin of food

Specific targeted research projects

SAFEED-PAP

Detection of presence of species-specific animal proteins in animal feed

ANCIENT CHARM

EAQC-WISE

HORIZONTAL-ORG

SWIFT-WFD

QUOVADIS

Analysis by neutron resonant capture imaging and other emerging neutron 
techniques: new cultural heritage and archeological research methods

European analytical quality control in support of the Water Framework Direc-
tive via the water information system for Europe

Horizontal standards on organic micropollutants for implementation of EU 
directives on sludge, soil and treated bio-waste

Screening methods for water data information in support of the Water Frame-
work Directive

Quality management organisation, validation of standards, developments and 
inquiries for solid recovered fuels

Integrated infrastructure initiatives

ILIAS

EFNUDAT

Coordination actions

Integrated large infrastructures for astroparticle physics

European facilities for nuclear data measurements

CANDIDE

Coordination action on nuclear data for industrial developments in Europe

IMERA ERA-NET

Implementing metrology in the European Research Area

EMERALD

Empowering the microarray-based European Research Area to take a lead in 
development and exploitation

Transnational access scheme (Euratom)

NUDAME

Neutron data measurements at JRC-IRMM

Institute in figures | 37

Human resources

At the end of year 2006 the total number of staff 
at  JRC-IRMM  was  340  persons.  The  staff  is  com-
posed of Commission officials and employees on 
fixed-term contracts. Approximately 30% of posts 
are  non-permanent  to  ensure  flexibility  and  the 
ability to host PhD students, post-doctoral fellows 
and visiting experts. In 2006 women made up 40% 
of all staff while 52% of the staff holding non-per-
manent positions and 33% of the core staff were 
women.

Core staff 2006

End-of-year situation

Officials

Temporary agents on 5-year
renewable contracts

Temporary agents on
non-renewable contracts 

M

122

1

19

F

55

3

11

Total

177

4

30

Total

142

69

211

Staff on fixed-term contracts 
(in total during 2006)

Type of contract

Post graduate fellow

Post doctoral fellow

Senior scientist

Visiting scientist

Seconded national expert

Auxiliary

Contractual agent

Trainee

Total

M

4

6

1

0

9

0

44

2

66

F

1

7

0

0

5

1

57

0

71

Total

5

13

1

0

14

1

101

2

137

In the Commission, training is a central element of 
career development. The JRC-IRMM offers its staff 
a  large  variety  of  courses  to  help  them  develop 
their competences. Many of the courses given by 
JRC-IRMM deal with scientific and laboratory tech-
niques,  informatics,  safety  and  security  issues, 
but  also  financial  regulations,  soft  skills,  lan-
guages and implementing ISO standards are cov-
ered.  Training  delivered  by  internal  trainers  has 
been strongly encouraged. In 2006, JRC-IRMM staff 
spent 2700 man-days in training with an average of 
9,1 per person while the JRC average was 7,6.

Number of training actions
Number of courses

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0

1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006

38 | Institute in figures

Publications

A large part of the research done at JRC-IRMM is 
reported in scientific publications and is publicly 
available. In addition to articles published in ref-
ereed scientific journals and conference proceed-
ings, valuable information can be found in the EUR 
reports.  For  instance,  reports  on  certification  of 
reference materials or results of many interlabora-
tory comparisons are published in the EUR series.

Publications in FP6

EUR reports

Articles in periodicals and monographs

Conference proceedings

Special publications and technical notes

Total

Events

In  2006,  19  workshops  or  training  courses  were 
organised at the Institute, and elsewhere. For in-
stance, four CRL workshops for the national refer-
ence laboratories were held at JRC-IRMM, the 4th
international  workshop  on  water  in  food  (EURO 
FOOD’S  WATER  2006)  and  workshops  on  stand-
ardised  methods  for  food  and  feed  analysis  with 
CEN  in  Brussels  (BE)  and  NEMEA-3  workshop  on 
neutron measurements, evaluations and applica-
tions in Varna (BG). JRC-IRMM was also promoting 
the ERM® label at Analytica 2006 in Munich (DE).

The 27 seminar lectures given during the year pro-
mote  exchanging  information  and  best  practises 
with  partners.  JRC-IRMM  welcomed  over  650  visi-
tors who attended meetings, workshops or guided 
laboratory visits. In addition to the scientific visitors, 
also the pupils of the European School in Mol had 
the opportunity to perform hands-on experiments in 
the JRC-IRMM laboratories and the fire brigades of 
the surrounding towns joined the Institute’s volun-
tary fire brigade for exercises. To mark the change in 
EU presidency an Austrian-Finnish event was organ-
ised on 30 June. Also the annual barbecue for staff 
featured Austrian and Finnish themes with demon-
strations of Finnish tango and Viennese waltz.

2003

2004

2005

2006

26

71

42

7

146

30

89

5

6

130

29

63

48

6

146

55

86

55

1

197

Pupils of the European School in Mol could benefit of the cooling 
assistance of the Institute’s fire brigade during a sports event

Fire exercise at JRC-IRMM

Institute in figures | 39

Appendix: Organigramme
Appendix: 
status December 2006
status December 

Alejandro Herrero 
Alejandro Herrero 
Director
Director
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 292
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 292
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 294
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 294
alejandro.herrero@ec.europa.eu
alejandro.herrero@ec.europa.eu

Food safety and quality – acting
Food safety and quality – acting
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 316
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 316
Fax: +32 (0)14 571 783
Fax: +32 (0)14 571 783

Doris Florian
Doris Florian
Institute development
Institute development
and programme management
and programme management
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 272
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 272
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 273
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 273
doris.florian@ec.europa.eu
doris.florian@ec.europa.eu

Marc Wellens
Management support
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 327
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 273
marc.wellens@ec.europa.eu

Hendrik Emons 
Reference materials 
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 722
Fax: +32 (0)14 571 548
hendrik.emons@ec.europa.eu

Philip Taylor
Isotope measurements 
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 605
Fax: +32 (0)14 591 978
philip.taylor@ec.europa.eu

Peter Rullhusen
Neutron physics 
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 476
Fax: +32 (0)14 591 980
peter.rullhusen@ec.europa.eu

Colin Woodward 
Infrastructure and site management
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 585
Fax: +32 (0)14 584 597
colin.woodward@ec.europa.eu

Bartel Meersman
Informatics and electronics
Tel.: +32 (0)14 571 404
Fax: +32 (0)14 571 539
bartel.meersman@ec.europa.eu

40 | Organigramme