The National CBRN Defence Centre, SkyddC, is currently upgrading its mobile RN (radiological and nuclear) laboratory. The goal is to become a world leader in detecting and measuring radiological and nuclear substances. Step one is to master the separation of strontium 90, a research project that is managed by FOI.

SkyddC's mobile RN lab is housed inside a hardened 20-foot container that can transported to remote locations by truck or aircraft. It contains regular equipment for measuring alpha, beta and gamma radiation and complies with NATO's requirements.

It is not hard to detect the presence of radioactivity. It is far more difficult to determine what substance is emanating the radiation, particularly when it comes to alpha and beta emitters, but this identification is of great importance when deciding how to treat people that have been subject to the radiation. Major labs have the ability, but so far not any mobile labs.

SkyddC has asked FOI to research methods to separate alpha and beta emitters. Step one deals with strontium 90, a beta emitter that is created at a nuclear explosion or a nuclear reactor mishap. "We selected strontium 90, because it is a beta emitter that can pose a serious problem", says Micael Granström, head of the mobile RN lab and on leave from a position as a researcher at FOI. "It has a long half life, 29 years, and is hard to get rid of once inside the body.

FOI will also develop separation methods for less aggressive elements. Micael Granström hopes that step two will comprise alpha emitters such as plutonium and americium.

SkyddC's mobile lab holds a very high standard. FOI have for instance carried out gamma radiation calibration outside the lab to make it possible to measure ground radioactivity at a nuclear mishap. They have also developed a method that measures uranium isotope proportions in the field, thereby determining whether the detected fragments are natural, depleted or enriched. "The new separation methods will put the Swedish mobile lab to among the best in the world when it comes to detecting and identifying radiation sources," says Micael Granström.