The present revised publication reflects new training experiences, technological developments, current practices and techniques concerning the development of instructors for nuclear power plant personnel training. It provides practical information on various aspects of instructor selection, development and deployment, by quoting actual examples from Member States. The publication highlights the importance of having an appropriate training policy, especially considering the various organizational arrangements that exist in different nuclear power plants and countries.

Advances have led to the production of new radiopharmaceuticals and availability of new production routes. Various new diagnostic agents in the field (such as Ga-68 radiopharmaceuticals and generators) as well as therapeutic agents (such as alpha emitters) have been added to the clinician’s menu. It is essential that radiopharmaceuticals are prepared within a robust quality control system encompassing materials and personnel, with adequate documentation, and continuous review of ongoing results. This publication provides guidelines and best practices for the quality control of medical radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. It was written by a group of experts with experience across a range of radiopharmaceuticals and is intended to support professionals in the preparation of good quality and safe products to be used in nuclear medicine procedures.

This publication outlines the main aspects and issues to be considered when developing and improving in-service inspection effectiveness in nuclear power plants (NPPs). It also provides the status of in-service inspection practices in NPPs in selected IAEA Member States, evaluating criteria for effective traditional in-service inspection and introducing the concept of risk-informed in-service inspection. The strategies for improving in-service effectiveness discussed in this publication consider the entire framework of in-service inspection, including effective selection of the proper inspection scope, inspection interval and non-destructive examination efficiency.

This publication outlines the main aspects and issues to be considered when developing and improving dissimilar metal weld inspections in nuclear power plants. It presents good practices and lessons learned, and provides guidance to inspection organizations and their managers and operating staff, and to the local suppliers who provide inspection services for utilities, as well as some practical case studies. The publication discusses requirements for an in-service inspection programme, different inspection techniques and methods, inspection qualification and evaluation of its results, and challenges, for ultrasonic inspection of dissimilar metal welds. The inspection programme and its requirements are based on the safety classification or safety significance of the component. An important aspect of this publication is the discussion of dissimilar metal welds repair and replacement techniques and how to mitigate or remove cracks and corrosion that might have an impact on the safety margins.

This publication provides IAEA Member States with a methodology to evaluate the potential for deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in a national energy portfolio. It elaborates the specific attributes of SMRs and evaluates their deployment potential from the viewpoints of energy demand, finance and economics, infrastructure, climate change and energy security in an energy portfolio. Case studies are used to illustrate the types of conditions that are potentially favourable for SMRs, and Member States can further adapt the process to country-specific needs.

Stable isotope techniques can help identify the sources of water pollution associated with agricultural activities. Knowing the origin of nutrients or contaminants is essential to improve agricultural practices. To ensure the quality of stable isotope analysis, appropriate sampling and sample preparation are crucial. This publication presents methods for surface water sampling and sample processing through micro-diffusion and bacterial denitrification combined with laser spectroscopy. Information on such methods is often described in a summarized and non-comprehensive way, without proper illustration of every step. This publication aims to bridge this gap for scientists, technicians and students. It presents a selection of standard operating procedures providing guidance in water sampling and sample preparation that are mandatory when conducting reliable isotope analysis on water.

This publication addresses a safety concern within the protection system for nuclear power plants that might result in unacceptable consequences for certain combinations of common cause failures and postulated initiating events, especially in the case of programmable digital protection systems. When this situation is encountered, a diverse actuation system is often provided to back up the reactor protection system. The publication identifies and discusses common criteria for the design of diverse actuation systems at nuclear power plants (NPPs) with the aim of developing a consensus on the adequate level of diversity in the reactor protection systems. It relates to IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-39, Design of Instrumentation and Control Systems for Nuclear Power Plants, and provides specific details for utility engineers, operators, researchers, managers, and personnel responsible for all aspects of design and implementation of instrumentation and control systems of diverse actuation systems for NPPs. It will also aid Member States in supporting assessment of diversity in I&C architecture as a defence against common cause failures.

Cassava is the third largest source of human food and animal feed carbohydrates in the tropics, after maize and rice. It is a major food crop in Africa and is also grown in a number of countries in Asia. However, declining soil fertility and poor farming practices are serious problems for traditional cassava farms in both Asia and Africa. This publication is intended to assist Member States in enhancing their cassava production. It provides information on the best farm management practices and the role of nuclear and isotopic techniques to better understand nutrient nitrogen (N) uptake. The guidelines presented in the publication provide an integrated and crop-need-based nutrient, weed, insect pest and disease management plan for growing cassava. By using these improved crop management methods, farmers can optimize cassava yields and minimize production costs. They also contribute to a reduction in land degradation by soil erosion, particularly on sloping lands, thereby protecting the local environment. The intended end result is an enhancement of the quality and market value of cassava products.

This publication is intended to enhance rice production and provides information on best management practices. The role of isotopic techniques to quantify nitrogen use efficiency is addressed and information presented to support a better understanding of the pathways of greenhouse gases emission. The publication informs the reader on improved rice varieties and sustainable cultivation practices from a wide range of Asian countries. This will enable national research and development staff to select and test these varieties and practices in farmers’ fields to promote improved rice varieties and crop management practices in their respective countries. By using these improved crop management methods, farmers can improve the productivity and profitability of rice crops through the adoption of locally adapted ‘best’ rice varieties, thereby protecting the local environment.

Written for use by regulatory bodies and their technical support organizations, and those individuals supporting human performance activities and programmes, this publication addresses the definition and implementation of an oversight programme that adequately takes into account human and organizational factors to oversee safety throughout the lifetime of nuclear installations. A key concept is that safety is the result of interaction between humans, technology and the organization. Based on the outcome of several international meetings, this publication presents the main elements to be used to enhance regulatory oversight capabilities and describes the essential concepts and terms used in the area of human and organizational factors. It is intended to help in the development of regulations and guides related to these factors, stressing the key role of the licensee's management system in establishing and maintaining conditions to support people at work. The TECDOC describes ways to verify compliance with regulatory requirements related to human and organizational factors, as well as ways to better understand associated trends and conclusions, using an integrated safety assessment approach.

This publication highlights the potential presence of uranium in ore deposits that are not commonly thought of as uraniferous and therefore highlights potential additional sources of uranium supply. It also provides insights into potential legacy mine waste issues for such deposits if the uranium is not extracted. The publication also outlines various historical mining and processing approaches, supported by case studies of each deposit type. The appendix to this publication includes a detailed IAEA deposit classification of uranium deposits and their global distribution, and shows for comparison purposes the equivalent distribution of other deposit types not traditionally considered as uranium deposits (but nevertheless with uranium extraction potential).

This publication serves as a reference guide for Member States and interested specialized readers wishing to work on agriculture in dry and saline environments, particularly those located in the Middle East region. All information and instructions provided in this guide are based on successful and sound practices applied in Member States for sustainable cropping of salt affected soils. It will help scientists and farmers to select the management alternatives most efficient for agriculture in saline environments within their own countries. The publication also focuses on the possible use of isotope techniques in dealing with salinity and droughts conditions affecting crop production.