FOI’s radiochemistry laboratory was Sweden’s representative in the test which was arranged by the NATO Working Group SIBCRA (Sampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radiological Agents) and which is also open to countries participating in the Partnership for Peace. Other participants included laboratories from Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

In this exercise the participating laboratories were each sent a 500 ml water sample. They then had a week to determine whether the sample contained radioactive substances and, if so, to identify which substance and in what quantity. Thereafter the laboratories had a further month to provide a more detailed response to the test .

“We quickly identified the two radioactive substances americium 241 and plutonium 239 at a very low concentration, around 20 Bq/kilo combined. We had also answered all the detailed test questions correctly and were the only laboratory in the exercise to have answered both sets of questions correctly,” says Annika Tovedal, coordinator for the FOI group during the exercise.

The background to the exercise stems from the way in which defence establishments in the western world have in some respects changed their views on the tasks of the armed forces. Whereas ionising radiation was previously seen primarily as a result of nuclear war, the current view envisages many more areas of risk – everything from damaged hospital equipment to terrorist’s dirty bombs. In addition there is now a requirement that civil regulations shall also apply to peacekeeping operations, which in turn implies greatly reduced threshold values.

“For this reason we at FOI have for a number of years been working purposefully to build up our special competence in this area. We currently have two PhD level radiochemists and a very well equipped laboratory. This expertise helps to make society safer. Ionising radiation occurs everywhere in our environment and it is reassuring to achieve the highest possible level of competence,” says Annika Tovedal.