Environmental Sampling
In the context of IAEA safeguards, the collection of samples from the environment with a view to analyzing them for traces of materials that can reveal information about nuclear material handled or activities conducted. The media sampled include various surfaces (e.g. of equipment and building structures), air, water, sediments, vegetation, soil and biota. The application of ES usually involves two stages: baseline sampling is performed to establish a reference 'environmental signature', and routine sampling is subsequently performed to obtain data that can be compared for consistency with the established baseline environmental signature and the declared operations. Under INFCIRC540* safeguards (AP), provision is made for the collection of environmental samples by IAEA inspectors at locations beyond those to which inspectors have access for inspections and visits under safeguards agreements