Preparation and validation of laboratory radioactive standards for experimental calibration in gamma ray spectrometry

The procedure of radioactive standards preparation by spiking selected matrices with a certified mixture of radionuclides and its validation is presented in this paper. The uncertainty budget of standard total activity was elaborated in details. The experimentally obtained efficiency curves, as well as comparison with the curves obtained by the efficiency transfer, are presented. Additionally, in order to confirm claimed homogeneity of prepared standard bulk materials, the efficiency versus density dependence for the individual gamma ray energies was checked for the same geometries and the results are presented. The results of the participation in recent IAEA PT scheme are discussed also. •Improved technique of radioactive standards preparation was described in detail.•Comprehensive uncertainty budget of the activity of the prepared standards was analysed and discussed.•Prepared standards were used for energy and efficiency calibration of the HPGe spectrometer.•The validation of the obtained efficiency curves was performed (efficiency transfer, PT scheme).