Nuclear detectionCrystals developed to detect chemical and nuclear bombs

Researchers are currently exploring the use of crystals to help detect radioactive materials as well as chemical bombs.

Using a $900,000 grant awarded by the National Nuclear Security Administration Office’s Nonproliferation Research and Development arm, scientists from Fisk University and Wake Forest University are studying the viability of using strontium iodide crystals to screen cargo containers for dangerous explosives.

The researchers discovered that when the strontium iodide crystals were dosed with europium, they could analyze and detect radiation better than other materials. The crystals essentially function like a PET or CT scan detects tumors in the human body, but would instead be capable of detecting traces of chemical or radioactive materials.

The project’s high costs are a result of the mass amounts of crystals that are required for the screening devices, but the research team maintains that the superior detection capabilities of strontium iodide more than justify the price tag. The team believes that with the right adjustments and calculations, they would be able to grow high quality crystals of sufficient size in an affordable way.

The team’s research into this detection method comes as the U.S. stockpile of helium-3, the primary element used in radiation detectors, continues to dwindle and DHS officials are actively seeking an alternative to existing radiation detection monitors.