Radioactivity

A worldwide network of laboratories offer radioactivity testing of water, food, and (raw) materials.
Our radioactivity measurement laboratories work for many sectors of activity.

Environmental monitoring

Many Polluted Sites and Soils projects require a radiological inventory of the surveyed site. Radiological characterisation meets both European and international regulations that govern the monitoring of environmental impacts.

Projects: Environmental monitoring of a Basic Nuclear Installation (BNI), of an industry - Zero point prior to a new installation - Radio ecological study of a site - Soil remediation

Matrices: Groundwater, seawater, soil, leaves
Radioactivity analyses: ²⁴¹Am, ^243/244Cm, ^234/235/238U, ¹³¹I, ^134/137Cs, ⁶⁰Co, Tritium, ¹⁴C, ⁹⁰Sr, Gross Alpha & Beta

Matrices: Air and gaseous emissions
Radioactivity analyses: Gross Alpha & Beta, ¹⁴C, Gamma spectrometry

Polluted sites and soils (Waste and Dismantling)

The characterisation of nuclear sites is intended for the dismantling of nuclear installations, the remediation of industrial sites and the management of waste.

Projects: Inventory before intervention on site – Materials, soil contamination / decontamination measurement - Checks for the treatment of waste through the appropriate channels

Matrices: soil, concrete, rubble, metals, waste
Radioactivity analyses: ⁶⁰Co, ^137/138Cs, ^234/235/238U, ^238/239/240Pu, ²⁴¹Am

Drinking water

The monitoring of drinking water is regulated in many countries in Europe (EU Directive (98/83), similar to Directive 2013/51 / EURATOM), and internationally. These directives require the radiological monitoring of water intended for human consumption.

Projects: Control of the water supplied for consumption – Radioactivity measurement of a future collection point - Content of water, detect possible pollution

Radioactivity analyses for monitoring drinking water:
¹⁴C, ⁹⁰Sr, ⁶⁰Co, ¹³¹I, ^134/137Cs, ^238/239/240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, ²²²Rn, Gross Alpha & Beta, Tritium

Analyses for industries

• Radioprotection :

Radioprotection measures are implemented to ensure the protection of workers by minimising their exposure to ionising radiation in the effluents discharged into the wastewater networks, the environment, equipment, etc.

• Wastewater

Projects: measurement of the level of radioactivity in liquid discharges

Gamma emitters likely to be present in the releases: ⁹⁹Tc, ²²³I, ¹³¹I, ¹¹¹In^{, 201}Tl, ⁵⁷Co, ⁵¹Cr

• Surface contamination

Projects: Control of surface contamination of equipment or laboratory benches – Monitoring of equipment using sealed sources

Matrices: Smears
Radioactivity analyses: gamma emitters, alpha emitters, pure beta emitters: ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁶³Ni ...

• Foodstuff:

Since the nuclear incidents in Chernobyl and more recently in Fukushima, international legislation has imposed the control of radioactivity in food, in particular in the context of import-export.

Projects: Self-checks on your production process - control of imported food, in particular from Eastern Europe and Japan - export of food products to countries requiring certificates of non-contamination such as the Russian Federation

Matrices: Fish, dairy products, mushrooms
Radioactivity analyses: ⁹⁰Sr, ⁶⁰Co, ^134/137Cs, Pu, Am…

• Natural radioactivity:

Some natural materials exhibiting natural radioactivity have historically been used in certain industries. The resulting exposure of people to gamma radiation is regulated by regulatory provisions.

Council Directive 2013/59 / Euratom of 5 December 2013 sets the basic standards for health protection against the dangers resulting from exposure to ionising radiation. The scope of the basic standards for health protection has been broadened to cover human activities involving the presence of natural sources of radiation.