Radioanalytical Chemistry for Forensic Analysis

Course guarantor:

Mojmír Němec

Lecturer:

Jan John, Mojmír Němec

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Chemistry

Synopsis:

The course introduces principles of phenomena and methods, which are used in nuclear forensics – from their fundamentals and definitions up to principles and applications of existing analytical methods using radionuclides or ionizing radiation for determination of stable elements and about methods for determination of selected radionuclides mainly in environmental samples. By passing this course students will get fundamental knowledge crucial for understanding of the following topical nuclear forensics lectures and they will be able to choose suitable radioanalytical method for actual application with respect to the current laboratory facilities.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Indicator methods, determination of naturally indicated elements

2. Isotope dilution analysis, radio-reagent methods

3. Methods based on isotope exchange, concentration-dependent distribution methods, RIA, radiometric titrations

4. Neutron, photon, and charged particles activation analyses

5. Non-activation interaction analysis

6. Important radionuclides in the environment, the choice of the method for their determination

7. Quality assurance in radioanalytical laboratories

8. The types of samples, general rules for the sampling, sampling with preservation of evidence information

9. Gamma- and alpha- spectrometric analysis of samples in environment

10. Methods and rules for the determination of gross alpha and gross beta activity

11. Determination of actinides, mainly U, Th, Pu, and their isotopes; determination of selected members of natural decay chains

12. Determination of 14C, tritium and radioisotopes of noble gases

13. Determination of selected fission products mainly isotopes of Cs, Sr, and I

14. Determination of hardly-to-detect radionuclides

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] Lehto, J., Hou X.: Chemistry and Analysis of Radionuclides, WILLEY-VCH Verlag & Co., Germany, 2010

[2] K. J. Moody, P. M. Grant, I. D. Hutcheon: Nuclear Forensic Analysis, 2nd Edition, CRC Press, 2014

[3] Radioanalytická chemie pro forenzní analýzu, soubor podkladů přednášejících, 2018

Recommended references:

[1] Atwood, A. D. ed.: Radionuclides in the Environment, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, 2010

[2] Kahn, B. ed.: Radioanalytical Chemistry, Springer, 2007

[3] Vertés, A., Nagy, S., Klencsár, Z. eds.: Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 2003

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans: