Experimental facilitiesPERSEE facility opened in Saclay2016/12/09
On December 9, 2016, IRSN
officially opened PERSEE, its new experimental facility on the Saclay site, in
the presence of IRSN's Director-General, the Head of CEA Saclay Research Centre,
research partners and potential customers, and lastly the consortium of
companies and the IRSN project team that brought the project to successful
completion.
The test bench is designed
specifically for studying radioactive gaseous waste purification systems at
nuclear facilities under normal operating conditions but also during severe
accidents at nuclear reactors; it enables experimental research to be carried
out on iodine traps as part of the MIRE program (standing for Mitigation of
radioactive releases), launched by IRSN in January 2014. Mire aims to improve
our understanding and the mitigation of radioactive releases during a core melt
accident at a nuclear reactor. It is one of seven IRSN projects selected by the
French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the call for projects for the
2012 nuclear safety and radiation protection research (RSNR) initiative.
The PERSÉE test bench will also take
over from the STEAM facility at Pierrelatte, used until January 2017 for
testing the adsorbents making up iodine traps installed in ventilation
extraction systems at nuclear facilities.
Photo: in the PERSÉE facility © Francesco Acerbis/IRSN
To know more about IRSN involved laboratory
To know more about the PERSEE facilityCall for applications for a training course jointly
organized by IRSN and sponsored by CONCERT
2016/12/07
IRSN
is jointly organizing a training course entitled "Uncertainty Analysis
for Retrospective Dosimetry and Associated Research", which will take
place at IRSN (Fontenay-aux-Roses) on June 19-23, 2017. Organized in
connection with the EURADOS network, its purpose is to provide a
detailed view of uncertainty analysis methods used in biological and
physical dosimetry.
The
course is open to PhD candidates, second-year master's degree students,
and other young scientists wishing to acquire a good working knowledge
of uncertainty analysis methods (including, of course, mathematical and
statistical concepts) used in retrospective dosimetry. The course is
also intended for more advanced professionals who are keen to acquire
more in-depth knowledge in this field.
Applications should be sent to the
following email address: dosicourse2017@irsn.fr
EventIRSN has led a session at the 6th STS Italia Conference
2016/12/05
Organized
by the Italian Society of Science and Technology Studies, the 6th STS
Italia Conference has been held at the Department of Sociology and
Social Research of the University of Trento in Italy on November 24-26,
2016. As in previous years, the Conference provided an opportunity to
discuss empirical and theoretical scientific research from the social
sciences angle (sociology, anthropology, philosophy, design, economics,
etc.).
The
Conference has been organized around 25 "tracks". Christine Fassert
(IRSN) and Reiko Hasegawa (Science Po-Paris) were the convenors for the
session entitled
Fukushima and the "reactivation" of Nexus between Knowledge Production – Expertise – Governmental Decisions.
Each nuclear accident raises questions about the links between these
three areas. The session has sought to examine how the 2011 Fukushima
nuclear accident "has reactivated" issues raised in former civil or
military nuclear catastrophes, and the role played by this
"reactivation" in current debates. These issues include, for example,
the dangers of ionizing radiation, controversies relating to the number
of deaths or victims due to a nuclear accident, the management of
contaminated territories, and health impact assessment.
The session has comprised the following five presentations:
-
Nuclear Accidents and Sociotechnical Controversies: The Rationalizing Role of Citizens Participation in La Maddalena (Italy), by Davide Orsini (Mississippi State University, History Department)
-
Glory and Failure of "SPEEDI" System: Historical Sociology
of Real-time Simulation-informed Emergency Radiation Protection Scheme
in Japan by Dr. Kohta Juraku (Tokyo Denki University, Japan) and
Dr. Shin-etsu Sugawara (Central Research Institute of Electric Power
Industry, Japan)
-
The Lawsuits of the Inhabitants of Fukushima: 'Solidarity in the Fear' After the Nuclear Accident, by Rina Kojima (Université Paris-Est, Laboratoire Territoire et Sociétés)
-
Fukushima and the Black Rain Class Action Lawsuit:
Reactivation of the Nexus of Knowledge Production, Expertise and
Government Decisions, by Masae Yuasa (Hiroshima University)
Full conference program
To know more about involved IRSN laboratoryPublicationsThe 12th issue of Aktis, IRSN’s scientific newsletter, is available
2016/11/25
The twelfth English-language issue of Aktis, the quarterly newsletter
on IRSN’s research, is available on a HTML and PDF package. Aktis is
published only in a digital version and available in HTML or text format
for e-mail, RSS and
a pageflip PDF.
In this issue, focus on EPR, a rapid
dosimetry technique in development. Aktis n°12 also tackles a new
protocol for the rapid measurement of alpha and beta emitters, and
calibrating instruments for measuring thoron. As well, it deals with the
modelisation of the cooling cladding during an RIA.
The subscription for the English and French versions is complimentary. To read this issue or subscribe, go to
www.irsn.fr/aktis-EN.
Read the pageflip PDF
Award
Best Poster Award for former LDRI PhD candidate
2016/11/25
Sylvain
Meylan, who not long ago defended his doctoral thesis at IRSN's
Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory (LDRI), received the Best Poster
Award at
the last International Conference on Radiation Shielding (ICRS) held in Paris in October.
Meylan's
thesis work focuses on the development of a simulation tool that models
the irradiation of cell nuclei by light ions. Purpose: simulate early
damage to DNA to improve understanding of the effects of ionizing
radiation. The DNA representation used in the simulation is essential
and particularly complex due to the huge number of DNA volumes to
consider (36 billion molecular volumes) and the multiscale structure of
DNA in a cell nucleus.
In
the former poster, he describes a software program, DnaFabric,
developed while working on his thesis to generate, modify and visualize
(instantly in 3D) such representations of DNA. The poster also shows an
example, created with DnaFabric, of a representation of the DNA
contained in a human fibroblast nucleus. This representation was used in
simulations of irradiation carried out during the thesis and which
served to calculate early DNA damage.
ICRS
is held every four years and was jointly organized this year by CEA,
ANS, AESJ and IRSN, with the support of SFEN, in partnership with NEA.
This international conference brings together specialists whose work
relates to ionizing radiation (safety and functioning of reactors and
accelerators, laser systems, radiation protection, medicine, etc.).
See the award-winning poster
To know more about Sylvain Meylan's thesis
To know more about Ionizing radiation dosimetry laboratory (LDRI)Event
IRSN in Japan for a joint symposium with the University of Ibaraki
2016/11/24
On November 10, 2016, IRSN took part in a joint symposium with
Ibaraki University on
environmental studies related to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power
plant accident. The symposium gathered together some fifty people from
Ibaraki University, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES),
Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) and IRSN. The nuclear advisor
of the French embassy was also attending.
At
the event, held in Mito (Ibaraki prefecture), the participants
presented their most recent work (oral presentations and posters). Among
many topics, one focused on the poorly known mechanisms involved in
atmospheric deposits (fog, mist, etc.) and the return of radionuclides
(through bioaerosol production, biomass fires, pollens, etc.) present in
f the forest ecosystem to the atmosphere (re-emission). It was also the
occasion for IRSN to present the various topics of the current
collaboration in Japan.
On the sidelines of the symposium, new opportunities for collaborations with Ibaraki University as well as with
Japan Meteorological Agency- MRI
(field experiment campaigns, modeling, etc.) were discussed. The main
topics discussed concern the effect of mists (characteristics and
leaching rate), aerosol granulometry and the re-emission of
radioactivity via bioaerosols (spores, pollen and bacteria).
IRSN
is expanding its collaboration with Ibaraki University, which was
confirmed in April 2016 with the signing of a memorandum of
understanding (MoU). The MoU defines the framework for data exchange and
access to experimental instrument facilities located in contaminated
regions in the field of atmospheric transfers and interactions between
the atmosphere and the terrestrial environment. Many departments in
IRSN's Radiation Protection Unit (Sesure, Seris and Steme) are part of
the collaboration.
Symposium program (PDF)
EventIRSN partners in first "Risk Days" Wokshop2016/11/17
Organized by the Resoh chair (IRSN, Areva, DCNS) of the Ecole des Mines de Nantes and
the Rite chair (Pays de Loire),
the first "Risk Days" Wokshop are held November 16-18, 2016 in Nantes.
Focusing on “Nuclear Technology, People and Society”, Risk
Days brings together researchers whose work
examines human, organizational and social issues relating to the use of
nuclear technology.
Discussions during the event will consider:
- sociological investigations in the nuclear field;
- people and organizations in networks: collective management of risks and industrial safety;
- nuclear regions: taking into account the integration of nuclear facilities in residential areas.
Each will include presentations from various disciplines,
including management, sociology, safety science, political science and
ergonomics. Risk Days offers an occasion to discuss research carried out
as part of the AGORAS Project, started in 2014, to which IRSN
contributes. It is one of the 14 projects chosen by the French National
Research Agency (ANR) in the call for research projects on nuclear
safety and radiation protection launched after the Fukushima accident.
Young researchers have not been left out, since the first day has given
PhD candidates the opportunity to discuss their work with researchers,
senior lecturers and professors.
The RESOH chair for research on
safety, organization and people, co-organizer of Risk Days, was
established in March 2012 by the Ecole des Mines de Nantes with support
from Areva, DCNS and IRSN. IRSN's Human and Social Sciences Laboratory
(LSHS) is heavily involved in the work of the chair, and participates in
its steering committee. The Resoh chair studies the organizational and
human aspects of safety in projects and subcontracting networks in
industries that pose risks throughout the life cycle of facilities
(design, construction, operation and dismantling), both in normal and
accident situations as well as emergency response.
Event website
To know more about LSHSExperimental facilities
NASA's RAD instrument is calibrated in IRSN's Baccara radon chamber
2016/11/09
The backup of the RAD instrument (Radiation Assessment Detector) on board
Curiosity, the rover which has been moving around on the
surface of Mars since August 2012, was tested this year at the IRSN.
This clone of the instrument, kept on Earth to conduct tests relating to
the processing of data from
Curiosity, was calibrated to measure the activity concentration of radon (222
Rn) in the Baccara facility at the LPMA in Saclay. With this
calibration, the RAD instrument will be able to accurately quantify the
perturbations induced by radon and its progeny present in the Martian
atmosphere, on the measurements of low-energy ionizing radiations
(around 5MeV) performed at the surface of the planet. IRSN's Baccara
bench, dedicated to studies on radon metrology, is the only facility in
the world that offers the experimental conditions needed for these
tests, that is to say, under a CO2 atmosphere and low-pressure (7 mbar).
This
exchange between the IRSN and NASA was established following a thesis
carried out at IRSN in 2004-2007, during which the doctoral student
Pierre-Yves Meslin revealed the presence of polonium-210, and thus
radon, on Mars. The Americans learned of the existence of the Baccara
bench and the IRSN was able to provide this RAD instrument calibration
service because Pierre-Yves Meslin has since continued to work on this
subject1, regularly collaborating with NASA. During the
testing, with the financial support of CNES, American teams (under the
auspices of NASA) and French teams (IRSN and Irap) worked hand in hand,
accompanied by German researchers (University of Kiel) who are also
involved in the instrument design and the use of RAD results. Baccara's
robust calibration procedure was only changed a little to fulfil this
request.
The RAD instrument was developed by the
Southwest Research Institute (Boulder, Colorado, USA), with University of Kiel (Germany), and funded by NASA and the German national aeronautics and space research centre (DLR), within the framework of
the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission to explore
Mars, which was launched in late 2011. It is used to detect and
characterize all elementary particles, charged or not, over a very wide
range of energies (0.2 MeV to 2 GeV). In-depth knowledge of the Martian
radiation environment is indeed essential to prepare for future manned
space missions to the red planet.
1. At the
Astrophysics and Planetology Research Institute (Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie, Irap), a joint research unit of the
CNRS and of the
Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier
To know more about the LPMA
To know more about the RAD instrument
To know more about the MSL
To know more about the thesis of Pierre-Yves Meslin
Award
ANS presents Eugene P. Wigner Award to Luiz Leal, IRSN researcher
2016/11/07

Luiz Leal, a researcher at IRSN's Reactor Physics Research and Safety Assessment Laboratory (LNR) was jointly
1
honored with the 2016 Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award. The
American Nuclear Society (ANS) presented the award to him on November 7
during the opening session of the society's winter meeting in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
It acknowledges Leal’s large body of research in measurement, evaluation and computer processing of nuclear data2. Leal has directed programs dealing with differential nuclear data measurements and resonance parameters evaluations3
for numerous important atomic nuclei (uranium 235, plutonium 239,
etc.). His scientific research activities also cover techniques for
evaluating uncertainty in differential and integral measurements to
obtain accurate data for nuclear calculations.
The
Eugene P. Wigner Award is in recognition of excellence that is
presented annually by the Reactor Physics Division of the ANS to
scientists whose work has made an exceptional contribution to reactor
physics research. It has been awarded to outstanding physicists
including Jules Horowitz. It is named for the theoretical physicist who
received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1963 for his contribution on the
structure of the atomic nucleus and the nature of elementary particles.
1. Mark L. Williams, researcher in
the Reactors and Nuclear Systems Division of the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, also received the award.
2. In nuclear data, there are
cross-sections, which correspond to the supposed surface of interaction
which characterizes the probability of an interaction between a particle
or incident radiation and a target particle. Expressed in m² or Barn (1
b = 10-28 m²), it is used to evaluate the number of interactions
between a flow of particles and a system of target nuclei.
3. Cross sections vary greatly
depending on the energy of the neutron that interacts with the nucleus.
The probability of an interaction between an incident neutron and a
target nucleus is very high when the energy of the neutron corresponds
to the excitation energy of the target nucleus. This is why cross
sections have resonances. An accurate description of resonances is
essential for accurate nuclear calculations.
To know more about Luiz Leal's HDR
ANS websiteExperimental facilities
The IRSN SCA contributes to a project on laser cutting of Fukushima corium 2016/10/14
The IRSN Airborne Pollutants and Containment
Department (SCA) is participating in a study conducted by the CEA and
Onet Technologies aimed at demonstrating that laser cutting can be used
to extract the corium (magma resulting from the melting of nuclear fuel
and structures) of the damaged Fukushima reactors. This technique is
currently being used to dismantle the dissolvers of the CEA fuel
processing plant in Marcoule. It is one of the techniques envisaged by
the Japanese for the future dismantling of the Fukushima-Daiichi
reactors by 2021.
The
feasibility study currently being conducted with the assistance of the
IRSN was selected in 2015 by the Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI)
within the framework of an international tender, and is funded by a
grant from the Japanese state (Meti). A first preparation phase
involving the definition of the corium simulants, the determination of
the cutting parameters by CEA and the design of an aerosol sampling
passage by IRSN has just been completed. The cutting and aerosol
characterisation test campaigns will now be spread out between November
2016 and March 2017.
In
order to demonstrate the feasibility of the cutting technique, tests
will first be conducted in a laboratory on non-radioactive materials
simulating the corium. They will take place on
the CEA Altea platform in Saclay. During
these tests, the IRSN will implement its know-how and specific
expertise in measuring the mass concentration, the particle size
distribution and the chemical composition of the aerosols emitted during
the cutting, when in the air and when submerged in water. These
measurements with non-radioactive aerosols will contribute to assess the
nature and the amount of the radioactive particles that could be
emitted during the fuel debris recovery operations in the
Fukushima-Daiichi reactors, in order to enable the Japanese to define
the best strategy for containing the radioactive aerosols and for
preventing their release into the environment.
The
CEA's laser cutting technique received the French Nuclear Energy
Society (SFEN) prize for Technological Innovation in June, as well as
being nominated for the WNE Awards at the World Nuclear Exhibition
(WNE).
To know more about the Aerosol Physics and Metrology Laboratory (LPMA)
To know more about the Research and Modeling Laboratory for Airborne Disepersion and Containement (LEMAC)
Experimental facilitiesODE facility opened at Cadarache2016/10/14
I

RSN opened the new ODE (
Observatoire de la durabilité des enceintes
- Containment durability observatory) facility at Cadarache on 12
October, for research on the ageing of the concrete used for nuclear
reactor containments and waste storage facilities. This new facility
will be used for the experimental phase of the ODOBA (Observatoire de la
durabilité des ouvrages en béton armé - Observatory for the durability
of reinforced concrete structures) project launched in 2014.
The ODOBA project aims to
study the impact of concrete pathologies on the behavior of nuclear
structures (containment or waste storage cells), to validate
non-destructive examination methods and develop predictive simulation
tools. Concrete pathologies evolve over long periods and can modify the
properties of the concrete, leading to cracks and even failure of the
structure. These pathologies particularly depend on the chemical
properties of the concrete and environmental conditions. This project is
therefore of critical importance at a time when nuclear operators are
planning to extend the operation of their facilities significantly.
The
core project comprises tests carried out at the ODE site on large
concrete blocks (2 x 1 x 4 metres). The site consists of a concrete
slab, which is large enough to host up to 60 blocks and a facility able
to subject these blocks to accelerated ageing (thermal cycles,
humidification/drying cycles, etc.) representative of the operating
period of the nuclear facility.
The first three blocks of
concrete were successfully cast on 28 & 29 September and four more
should be cast by end-2016. These seven concrete blocks vary in type and
represent control blocks (exposed to natural ageing). From March 2017,
six more blocks will be casted and subjected to accelerated ageing. All
the blocks will be extensively instrumented (thermocouples, vibrating
wire sensors, humidity meters, etc.) and periodically submitted to
destructive and non-destructive testing, in order to define a
containment monitoring program. Complementary laboratory tests will be
used to improve the understanding of the pathologies detected.
Photo: from
left to right, Jean-Christophe Niel, IRSN's Director General, Georges
Nahas, scientific advisor for the project and Christophe Marquié, ODOBA
project manager © IRSN
The ODOBA programAward
LPMA engineers received a Best Poster Award at the EAC-2016
2016/10/10
Samuel Peillon and Mamadou Sow, engineers of the IRSN's Aerosol Physics and Metrology Laboratory (Laboratoire de Physique et de Métrologie des Aérosols, SCA / LPMA) received the Best Poster Award at the 22nd European Aerosol Conference (EAC 2016), held between the 4th and the 9th of September in Tours.
The
award winning poster relates to experimental work conducted within the
framework of an exploratory research project related to the safety of
the
ITER tokamak.
The two scientists studied the electrostatic behaviour of tungsten dust
that is representative, in terms of size, of those usually produced by
the erosion of the tokamak divertor1
subjected to the action of plasma. The presence of tritium in this dust
can lead to their electrical self-charging and thus modify their
capacity to adhere to the walls, by making them sensitive to
electrostatic forces, which is a factor that influences their
re-suspension and therefore their potential release to the environment
in the event of an accident.
The
experiments at the LPMA that received the award at the EAC-2016 have in
particular enabled the determination of the electrical field threshold
levels needed - around 20 kV/cm - to overcome the adhesion forces
between tungsten particles with sizes of the order of microns and a
conductive metal surface. Furthermore, they have shown that a very thin
layer of oxide on the particle surface, with a thickness not exceeding 2
to 3 nm, is enough to render them dielectric. This reinforces the
hypothesis of electrically self-charging particles, if these contain
tritium.
These
results will ultimately improve the modelling of dust re-suspension by
turbulent flows, taking into account electrostatic interactions. In
addition, they will contribute to a better understanding of the
behaviour of the dust produced in ITER, in order to enable the
implementation of appropriate safety and radiation protection measures
to prevent their dissemination in the event of an accident or when
conducting maintenance during normal operation.
The
LPMA has thus shown that it is a major actor in aerosol science in
France and abroad. It was also in this laboratory that Anthony Rondeau
completed last year the thesis work for which he received
the Jean Bricard award.
1. The ITER tokamak divertor extracts
the effluent gases and impurities, as well as a portion of the heat
generated by the fusion reactions.
Photo: Samuel Peillon (2nd from the left side) during EAC-2016 © IRSN
To know more about the LPMA
To know more about the EAC-2016Event
The IRSN co-organises the first workshop of the French seismologic and geodetic network dedicated to seismic hazards
2016/09/27
The first workshop of the French
seismologic and geodetic network (Réseau sismologique et géodésique
français, RESIF) dedicated to seismic hazards will take place on the
27th and 28th of September in Strasbourg (France). The IRSN, which is
one of the historical players in the field, has been heavily involved in
its organisation alongside the Geological and Mining Research Office
(Bureau de recherches géologiques et minières, BRGM) and the
Universities of Strasbourg, Montpellier and Besançon. This workshop is
aimed at intensifying the dialogue between data producers (geological,
geodetic and seismic) and seismic hazard practitioners in France (IRSN,
BRGM, EDF, CEA, etc.) so that assessments conducted on French territory
are based on information and shared models obtained from the best
current knowledge.
Two main and complementary topics will be discussed during the two days:
1. Quantification of the seismogenic potential associated with seismic sources.
In particular, the use of geodetic and geological strain rates, the
assessment of the slip rate of faults and the estimation of the
magnitudes and depths of earthquakes associated with the sources will be
discussed;
2. Characterisation of the lithosphere properties,
for example through the regional anelastic attenuation of the seismic
movement measured from the seismic data, the attenuation of the
intensity deduced from macroseismic observations, gravity data, etc.
The purpose of the discussions is to identify the most up to date
data and models, as well as the deficiencies relating to these two
topics. The workshop should thus lead to the development of a summary
document that could serve as a roadmap for updating the knowledge useful
for calculating seismic hazards.
To know more about BERSSIN
To know more about RESIFAwardAnthony Rondeau receives the Jean Bricard 2016 Award2016/09/14

On
Wednesday September 7th, in Tours, Anthony Rondeau received the Jean
Bricard Award from the French Association for the Study and Research on
Aerosols (Association française d’études et de recherches sur les
aérosols, Asfera) at the 22nd European Aerosol Conference (EAC-2016).
The award has been presented to him in recognition of his thesis -
conducted at IRSN and defended on December 7th, 2015, in Saclay - on the
study of accidental dust resuspension by airflow in the future ITER
tokamak.
This work is an important
contribution to the experimental study of the consequences of a loss of
vacuum accident inside the torus (resulting in the ingress of air mixed
with steam at very high speed) on the resuspension of metal particles —
mainly tungsten — produced by the erosion of the tokamak walls during
plasma operation and deposited on the internal walls of the vacuum
chamber. The work of Anthony Rondeau has provided new and accurate
experimental data to develop and validate a particle resuspension model
applicable to low pressure environments, for estimating the fraction of
particles mobilised during such an event.
In
the IRSN physics and aerosol metrology laboratory (SCA/LPMA) and at the
University of Aarhus (Denmark), Anthony Rondeau performed breakthrough
experiments on airflow re-suspension as a function of the main
parameters that condition the mechanisms involved: diameter and
volumetric density of the particles, pressure and shear velocity. The
particles concerned, as sampled from tokamaks in operation, have
diameters ranging from 0.1 to 10 μm. Anthony Rondeau emphasised the
specific behaviour of multilayer deposits and the agglomeration of fine
particles, which are phenomena that lead to a more significant fraction
of mobilised particles than that predicted by the models currently used.
At
IRSN, these results are intended to be integrated into the calculation
models to assess the potential risk of a dust explosion during accident
scenarios in the ITER facility, as well as the energy output of the
explosion and its mechanical effects, which are directly correlated with
the amount of dust resuspended.
Every
year since 1998, the Jean Bricard Award is presented to a young French
researcher whose thesis work is considered by the aerosol scientific
community to be original, and the value of which is likely to influence
future work in its field. ASFERA thus aims to promote research in
aerosol science, of which Professor Jean Bricard (1907-1988) is
considered to be the founder in France.
Photo: Anthony Rondeau receiving his award © IRSN
To know more about his thesis
To know more about ASFERA
To know more about EAC-2016Event
Radioecology research at Chernobyl: the COMET consortium organises a workshop on 30th and 31st August
2016/08/25
The "30 years after the Chernobyl accident, what do we know about the effects of radiation on the environment?" workshop will be held at Chernhiv (Ukraine) on 30th and 31st August. Organised by the COMET1 international
consortium, this event will bring together people from a wide range of
different backgrounds (researchers, experts, regulation organisations,
NGOs, media) and will provide the opportunity to present an analysis of
the radioecology2 research that has been
carried out over the last few decades inside the Chernobyl exclusion
zone, into the effects of chronic exposure to ionising radiation in
non-human species.
The main actors in this research –Chernobyl Centre (Ukraine),
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (United Kingdom) and IRSN
(France) in particular - will be taking a look at the knowledge
acquired in the field, comparing it with the knowledge obtained in the
laboratory. Japanese researchers will also be in attendance to provide
the first results of research into the evolution of Japanese ecosystems
affected by the fallout from the Fukushima accident. The workshop has
two main objectives: to discuss future radioecology research priorities
at Chernobyl, to provide data which is still lacking and to harmonise
the analyses of this data. In addition, the implications of these
results in relation to the environmental radioprotection regulatory
context will be evaluated.
The COMET consortium, which was created in 2013 for a four-year period, brings together
20 organisations
including the IRSN and seeks to strengthen integration for radioecology
research. To enable it to do so, COMET is supported by the work carried
out by
the European Radioecology Alliance,
whose founder members are part of the consortium. The programming tools
proposed are developed together. Also, research actions dedicated to
the effects of ionising radiation on ecosystems and the development of
risk evaluation models in crisis and post-accident situations are put in
place. The IRSN takes part in all this work and coordinates the work
which relates to the study of low doses of ionising radiation on
non-human species.
1.
Coordination and implementation of a pan-European instrument radioecology, 7th Euratom RDFP
2. Study of the transport and transfer
of radio-isotopes in the environment and their potential impact on
people and ecosystems.
To know more about COMETAwardA former doctoral student of the IRSN has received the Lawrent Exmelin Award2016/08/22

Sarah
Baghdadi, who up until 2015 worked on her thesis in the IRSN
Radiochemistry Laboratory (LRC), received the Lawrent Exmelin Award at
the last PROCORAD annual meeting (Promotion of quality control for
medical biology analyses in radiotoxicology), which was held from the
15th to 17th of June 2016, in Dijon (France).
The
award recognises her thesis work, which consisted in developing a rapid
detection and analysis method in urine for actinides that may be
released during a nuclear accident (U, Pu, Am, Th, etc.), to quickly
identify people who may be contaminated. Her method combines a column
based on calixarene derivatives (impregnated hydroxamic calix [6]arene)
and an ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry).
The
Exmelin Award, amounting to 3,000 euros, is awarded annually by the
PROCORAD Association to a scientist who has made a significant and
personal contribution in the field of radionuclide trace analysis. This
includes the development of analytical protocols, the development of new
processes (separation methods, radiation metrology, etc.), the
validation of analytical methods and the interpretation of the results
(internal dosimetry).
The
PROCORAD Association (Association for the Promotion of Quality Controls
in Radiotoxicological Bioassays) is an association based on the law
enacted in 1901 (Association Loi 1901) that organises interlaboratory
comparisons in the field of radiotoxicology, to control the quality of
medical test results and to promote good laboratory practices.
Photo: Sarah Baghdadi © IRSN
To know more about her thesis
To know more about the LRC
To know more about PROCORADResearch programs
The IRSN is studying the risks related to joint activity with the COSEA project
2016/08/12
Towards the end of 2015, the IRSN, the RATP and the SciencesPo Sociology Centre for Organisations (Centre de sociologie des organisations,
CSO) launched a joint research project, COSEA (on joint activity and
safety in practice), on the risks associated with the presence of
several companies with different core businesses on a same worksite
(i.e., a joint activity situation) and the establishment of tools to
prevent them. They recently held their first Steering Committee and the
Institute is continuing its studies and field observations.
The
COSEA project is aimed at gaining knowledge about co-activity and the
risks associated with it in highly restrictive settings (underground,
etc.), as would be the case, for example, in Andra's nuclear waste
burial centre project (CIGEO project), the safety of which is being
assessed by the IRSN. The COSEA project is expected to enable specific
worksite situations and the work of collective labour in this context to
be observed as closely as possible, together with the risks that these
entail. The IRSN will thus be able to propose points to be discussed on
how to prevent risks related to joint activity. After the CIGEO project,
these points may also be leveraged for expert assessments of nuclear
facility decommissioning worksites or modification worksites at
facilities in operation.
For
three years, the Institute will monitor the various stages of the
worksite for the extension of Line 14 of the Paris metro. Interviews
with the players involved in the various stages of the worksite
(planning, preparation, implementation, etc.) will be carried out on a
voluntary basis. In parallel, the course of some operations or meetings
will also be observed.
To know more about the COSEA
To know more about CIGEO