Mangalore varsity develops radioactive mitigation system

Introduction

Mangalore University, in collaboration with Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has developed a Thoron Mitigation System under a memorandum of understanding for collaborative research programmes.

A press statement by the university, on Wednesday, said the development of a simple and inexpensive activated charcoal-based mitigation system will find application in the continuous removal of radon and thoron (the radioactive gases) from off-gas streams of uranium and thorium processing facilities.

This new system has the potential to offer numerous advantages over conventional systems for the continuous removal of radon and thoron from air in industrial workplaces.

Spin-off applications of the system include remediation of radon and thoron problems in mining and processing industries, site remediation, and reduction of personal radiation exposures, it said. The statement said that scientists of the Radioecology Research Laboratory, University Science Instrumentation Centre, at Mangalore University have designed and fabricated the system.

BARC, which provided the necessary support in the theoretical calculation and calibration of the system, funded the project.

K Byrappa, Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, will formally transfer the prototype system to a team of scientists from BARC on July 18, it added.

Source

Business Standard, July 17, 2014