CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nuclear engineers at Oregon
State University have developed a small, portable and inexpensive
radiation detection device that should help people all over the world
better understand the radiation around them, its type and intensity, and
whether or not it poses a health risk.
The device was developed in part due to public demand following the
nuclear incident in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011, when many regional
residents were unsure what level of radiation they were being exposed to
and whether their homes, food, environment and drinking water were
safe.
Devices that could provide that type of information were costly and
not readily available to the general public, and experts realized there
was a demand for improved systems that could provide convenient,
accurate information at a low cost. The new system should eventually be
available for less than $150.
Findings on
the new technology
were just published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics
Research, a professional journal. The systems are not yet available for
commercial sale.
Beyond the extremely rare occasion of a radiological or nuclear
incident, the new technology may also help interested consumers learn
more about the world of radiation surrounding us, the constant exposure
they receive – everything from a concrete wall to the air we breathe,
soils around us or a granite kitchen counter top – and how to understand
routine radiation exposure as a part of normal life.
“With a device such as this, people will be better able to understand
and examine the environment in which they live,” said Abi Farsoni, an
associate professor of nuclear engineering in the OSU College of
Engineering. “Radiation is a natural part of our lives that many people
don’t understand, but in some cases there’s also a need to measure it
accurately in case something could be a health concern. This technology
will accomplish both those goals.”
Of some interest, the researchers said, is that the technology being
used in the new device provides measurements of radiation that are not
only less expensive but also more efficient and accurate than many
existing technologies that cost far more. Because of that, the system
may find use not just by consumers but in laboratories and industries
around the world that deal with radioactive material. This could include
scientific research, medical treatments, emergency response, nuclear
power plants or industrial needs.
The system is a miniaturized gamma ray spectrometer, which means it
can measure not only the intensity of radiation but also identify the
type of radionuclide that is creating it. Such a system is far more
sophisticated than old-fashioned “Geiger counters” that provide only
minimal information about the presence and level of radioactivity.
“The incident at Fukushima made us realize that many people wanted,
but were not able to afford, a simple technology to tell them if their
environment, food or water was safe,” Farsoni said. “This portable
system, smaller than a golf ball, can do that, and it will also have
wireless connectivity so it could be used remotely, or connected to the
Internet.”
The system combines digital electronics with a fairly new type of
“scintillation detector” that gives it the virtues of small size,
durability, operation at room temperature, good energy resolution, low
power consumption and light weight, while being able to measure
radiation levels and identify the radionuclides producing them.
Various models may be developed for different needs, researchers
said, one of which might be the ability to measure radon gas and check
homes with possible concerns for that type of radiation exposure, which
can sometimes come from soils, rocks, concrete walls or foundations.
“There are a lot of misconceptions by many people about radioactivity
and natural background radiation, and technology of this type may help
address some of those issues,” Farsoni said. “Sometimes, there are also
real concerns, and the device will be able to identify them. And of some
importance to us, we want the technology to be very simple and
affordable so anyone can obtain and use it.”
The new device, called a “MiniSpec,” will ultimately be commercialized after final development is completed, researchers said.
Source:http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2014/jul/sophisticated-radiation-detector-designed-broad-public-use
