The Radioecological Laboratory houses Gamma Spectroscopy instrumentation that is capable of carrying out radioactivity measurements in Food, Agricultural products and also Environmental Radiation assessments. It also houses an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) system that is capable of analysing the heavy metal composition/concentrations in food and other materials, and also the metal composition of alloys. These instruments are used to provide the following analytical services for both research and commercial purposes.
Gamma Spectroscopy |
|||
Sample Type |
Amount (200 -500g) |
Analysis (Radionuclides) |
|
Natural |
Anthropogenic |
||
Bulk materials. (Soil, dust, waste materials) |
200 - 500 g |
Pb-214, Pb-212, Pb-210, Bi-212, Bi-214, K-40 |
Cs-137, Cs-134, I-131, Co-60 |
Food & Nutrition (crops, meat, seafood, processed food) |
1 kg – 1.5 kg |
Pb-214, Pb-212, Pb-210, Bi-212, Bi-214, K-40 |
Cs-137, Cs-134, I-131, Co-60 |
Mining materials (Bauxite, Redmud, etc) |
1 kg – 1.5 kg |
Pb-214, Pb-212, Pb-210, Bi-212, Bi-214, K-40 |
Cs-137, Cs-134, I-131, Co-60 |
Building Materials (cement, grout, blocks, bricks) |
1 kg – 1.5 kg |
Pb-214, Pb-212, Pb-210, Bi-212, Bi-214, K-40 |
Cs-137, Cs-134, I-131, Co-60 |
Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence |
||
Sample Type |
Amount of sample required
|
Analysis (Example of Elements analysed) |
Bulk Geological sample Soil, waste, bauxite, mining materials |
20 - 100 g |
Mo, Zr, Sr, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn, W, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ca, K, S, Ba, Sb, Sn, Cd, Ag |
Plastics, cups, car accessories, plastic bottles, toys |
|
|
Air particulate matter on filter paper or Suspended solids on filter paper |
|
Mo, Zr, Sr, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn, W, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ca, K, S, Ba, Sb, Sn, Cd, Ag |
Scrap metals, alloy, alumina |
|
Mo, Zr, Sr, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn, W, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ca, K, S, Ba, Sb, Sn, Cd, Ag |
Consumer Goods, toys, ceramics, furniture |
|
|
Industrial materials (e.g. cement, glass bottles, etc) |
|
|
Heavy metals in Foodstuff: Crops, medicinal plants (e.g. tea and herbs) |
|
|
Radon Analysis |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Sample Type |
Amount of sample required |
Analysis (Example of Elements analysed) |
Comments |
Water (small) |
250ml |
Rn 224, Rn 222 |
|
Water (continuous sample) |
- |
Rn 224, Rn 222 |
|
Air (2month) |
- |
Rn 224 |
1 per floor/home |
Soil gas |
- |
Rn 224, Rn 222 |
For further information please contact:
Prof. M. Voutchkov
Department of Physics
The University of the West Indies Mona,
Tel: 927-2480