The IAEA Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL) based at Seibersdorf near Vienna provides analytical support to the Department of Safeguards for the analysis of environmental and nuclear material samples taken by safeguards inspectors in the field.

With respect to the analyses of nuclear material samples and in accordance with the report by the Director General entitled Safeguards Analytical Laboratory: Sustaining Credible Safeguards contained in document GOV/2007/59 the IAEA is in the process of evaluating its nuclear material destructive analytical capabilities. As part of this evaluation, the IAEA is identifying laboratories within its Member States that may assist SAL during routine operations, as well as during unscheduled service disruption, in order to ensure the continuity of service. Such laboratories may also assist SAL in developing new capabilities. After a suitable evaluation, such laboratories may be invited to undergo a qualification for membership in the IAEA's Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL).

Laboratories that have the capability to perform some of the following analyses would be of interest to the IAEA:

• Plutonium concentration and isotopic composition in milligramme and gramme samples (e.g. MOX pellets; dried PuN03);

• Uranium concentration and isotopic composition in milligramme and gramme samples (e.g. fuel pellets, powders, UF6);

• Spent fuel in milIigramme samples for uranium & plutonium composition and isotopics (e.g. dried, diluted, spiked samples of spent fuel);

• Thorium concentration and isotopic composition in gramme samples (e.g. fuel pellets, powders);

• Impurities in nuclear material samples (e.g. analysis of the sample types given above).