Web Reporting System for the U.S. Department of Energy Extended Network of Analytical Laboratories Supporting IAEA Environmental Monitoring

A new web database reporting system has been developed and implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL) to support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s environmental sampling component of Strengthened Safeguards Systems. Dynamic hypertext markup language (HTML) code is generated over the web for all transactions, including analysis requests, sample identification, radioactive screening information, shipping notification, status information, and data reporting. The system was designed to securely manage key information concerning IAEA environmental samples, with data available in near real time at every stage of the analytical process (i.e., from analysis request by the IAEA to reporting of the data.). The central DOE database is maintained in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with data access from all of the DOE laboratories, from IAEA headquarters, as well as from other authorized users such as DOE headquarters and the U.S. Mission in Vienna. Users can be easily added or removed as needed. In most cases, data entered is available dynamically throughout the system. For example, information entered into the system by IAEA headquarters in Vienna about a shipment (shipping date, shipping number, sample numbers, analysis instructions, etc.) is immediately available to both the U.S. DOE coordination center in Oak Ridge and to the appropriate laboratory. Automatic electronic email messages are generated to notify the appropriate personnel that information on the upcoming shipment is available. A single relational database maintained at the NWAL coordination center in Oak Ridge contains all DOE environmental sample data along with other detailed sample information. Each laboratory in the DOE NWAL has access only to the data generated by that laboratory and to sample information concerning those samples. New data is made available to the IAEA after review. A number of benefits are realized from the web-based reporting system, including: more timely data reporting; near real-time access to status information; reduced risk of data errors; more robust data validation; greater ease of use at all points in the cycle from analysis request to data reporting; greater flexibility in deployment; rapid communication between the IAEA and DOE NWAL.