What is the primary purpose of a contamination survey?

• A. To calibrate survey meters
• B. To determine whether a surface is contaminated and to quantify contamination levels
• C. To measure ambient radiation field
• D. To measure air flow in a room

Answer: (B)

A contamination survey is used to identify if surfaces or objects carry radioactive contamination and to quantify how much exists. This is essential because knowing both whether contamination is present and its amount guides decontamination actions, area zoning, and regulatory clearance decisions. It differs from measuring the ambient radiation field, which tells you about dose rates in the air rather than contamination on surfaces, and it’s not about airflow or instrument calibration—calibration is a separate quality-control step to ensure readings are accurate. In practice, wipe tests and direct surface measurements help determine removable versus fixed contamination and are compared to release or control limits to decide the next steps.