Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LRA)

The Environmental Radioactivity LaboratoryThe main objective of the UPV is to carry out the following activities;monitoring of radioactivity in the environment. This monitoring is performed; analyzing different types of matrices or samples The samples are taken in each of the exposure pathways by which radiation can reach human beings. Thus, aerosols and iodine cartridges, soil, water (drinking, surface, ground and rainwater), sediments, vegetation, fauna and food are sampled.

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Liquid Radioisotope Laboratory (LRL)

The LRL is conditioned for the handling of radioactive liquid isotopes. It has a general extraction system that filters the air in the room before it is released to the outside and two conditioned workstations, one for working with short range emitters, i.e. alpha and beta emitters, and the other, properly plumbed for working with gamma emitters.

It also has a gammateca, to store the gamma emitters when not working with them.

The unit has a hand and foot counter located at the exit of the room to verify that users are NOT contaminated, and a counter located inside the room that monitors the level of radiation inside the room.

This unit is also prepared to be used by mixed centers and other external entities linked to the UPV.

X-Ray Camera and Gammagraphy

The X-Ray and Gammagraphy chamber (“Bunker”) is located in the basement of the Nuclear Engineering building.

It is used to perform Radiography and Gammagraphy tests.

External Personal Dosimetry Service (EPDS)

In accordance with the authorization of the Ministry of Industry of the IRA-UPV, and after a report from the CSN, the University must have a dosimetric control of those workers who are professionally exposed personnel. This dosimetric monitoring must be carried out by an entity duly authorized by the Nuclear Safety Council.

The SDPE of the Polytechnic University of Valencia was authorized on October 21, 1998 by the Nuclear Safety Council with the main objective of performing this dosimetry by reading personal Thermoluminescence Dosimeters (TLD). For this purpose, the SDPE has a reading equipment, currently a THERMO 4500, which needs to be calibrated annually, and a sufficient number of dosimeters, which apart from those assigned to each user, allows to perform all the tasks inherent to the measurement and calculation process: background, control and calibration.

In addition to this control, the SDPE performs other services to the University Community, such as controlling by means of ring dosimetry, unofficial, the members of the IBMCP and the ITEAM. Likewise, the Service can attend the request of any member of the University and even be at the disposal of people or situations external to the UPV, which require this type of measure.

Periodically, the CSN carries out an Inspection in order to verify the suitability of the Service.

There are currently 53 professionally exposed users in the Service and ring dosimetry is performed on 70 people who work with radiation but do not need to apply for a supervisor or operator permit.

Equipment Quality Control Unit (UCE)

As part of the authorization for the operation of the IRA-UPV premises, the University is obliged to monitor the proper functioning of the ionizing radiation emitting equipment and detectors, as well as encapsulated and encapsulated radioactive sources, present in its premises that are part of the single facility. This surveillance covers the following activities:

• Quality control measures on radiation emitting equipment, in which dose rates are controlled in contact and at one meter from the equipment.
  • The quality control of the X-Ray generating equipment is carried out by a service external to the UPV, authorized by the CSN.
  • Radiation control of the TROXLER equipment is performed by the SRAD ECU using SRAD personnel and monitors.
  • In addition, the TROXLER equipment undergoes a complete overhaul by an external technical service authorized by the CSN.

• Calibration and verification of the existing radiation monitors in the different units.
  • Calibration is performed in a calibration laboratory authorized by the CSN.
  • The verification is performed by the SRAD’s own UCE using the Service’s personnel and calibrated monitors.

• Tightness tests on encapsulated sources.

The Radiation Service, through the Unit attached to the Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering (DIQN), has been authorized by the Nuclear Safety Council since 1996 to carry out hermeticity tests on encapsulated sources whose activity exceeds the limits set out in CSN Safety Guide No. 5.3. At present, hermeticity tests are carried out on:

• Am-241/Cs-137 sources from DIT’s TROXLER equipment

• ESA Sr-90 sources

Other sources of Na-22, etc., from LRL