NUCLEAR REFERENCE MATERIALS TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL NUCLEAR COMMUNITY

New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) serves as the U.S. Government's Certifying Authority for nuclear reference materials and measurement calibration standards. In this role, NBL provides nuclear reference materials certified for chemical and/or isotopic compositions traceable to a nationally accepted, internationally compatible reference base. Emphasis is now changing as to the types of traceable nuclear reference materials needed as operations change within the Department of Energy (DOE) complex and at nuclear facilities around the world. Environmental and waste minimization issues, facilities and materials transitioning from processing to storage modes with corresponding changes in the types of measurements being performed, emphasis on requirements for characterization of waste materials, difficulties in transporting nuclear materials, and international factors, including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection of excess U.S. nuclear materials, are all contributing influences. During these changing times, it is critical that traceable reference materials be provided for calibration or validation of the performance of measurement systems. This paper will describe actions taken and planned to meet the changing reference material needs of the global nuclear community.