Radon Laboratory (LRn)
Since 2004, LRn/CDTN has been involved in research, development and service provision, conducting assessments of natural radioactivity - particularly radon and its isotopes - from geogenic sources, in soil, water and air. LRn participates in several research projects in partnership with other academic and research institutions. In addition to academic activities, the laboratory also provides services to companies and government agencies. It is considered one of the leading laboratories in Brazil in terms of knowledge production, sampling and analysis techniques and various research projects on natural radionuclides, especially radon isotopes. LRn participates in several intercomparison programs with national and international institutions and also performs its own calibrations with certified sources referenced to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States). Among the equipment available at LRn, the following stand out: RAD7 and AlphaGUARD ionization chambers, with complete accessories for analyses in water, soil and air; Lucas type scintillation chambers; solid-state nuclear trace detectors (SSNTD); short- and long-term electret chambers; calibration chambers; field and laboratory spectrometers; permeameters, etc. The LRn has adequate infrastructure for environmental analyses, mainly radon determinations in soil, water, air and determination of the exhalation rate of construction and natural materials (soils, rocks, waters). In the area of environmental applications, methods and techniques for the use of natural radionuclides as tracers of environmental phenomena and tools for various diagnostics in the areas of soils, sediments, surface waters and groundwater are studied. Specifically in hydrological environmental studies, the LRn team has used radon as a tracer to monitor the movement of water in underground aquifers, rivers and streams, and to study the dynamics and rate of groundwater discharge in surface water bodies, contributing to the understanding of water dynamics and pollution processes in watersheds (surface and groundwater).
Contact:
Ricardo Gomes Passos - ricardo.passos@cdtn.br - Tel. +55 31 34399618