Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, today opened the $8.7 million Environmental Radioactivity Measurement Centre in New South Wales, the only one of its kind in Australia.
The Centre at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in Sydney’s Lucas Heights, uses ultra-sensitive equipment to provide data for climate change studies and to measure the natural radioactivity of items to ensure they meet strict import and export conditions.
Senator Evans said the new facility will mean Australian environmental scientists will be able to use top quality equipment to obtain world-leading, low radiation readings.
“These readings will enhance scientists’ understanding of the environment – everything from algal blooms to deforestation and the frequency of bushfires,” Senator Evans said.
“The ITRAX – Corescanner, a key piece of equipment used to measure environmental samples and the only one of its kind in Australia, will be housed in the new facility and will allow thousands of measurements to be made within a few hours, instead of a few weeks.
“The new facility and equipment will ensure ANSTO scientists can continue their work as world leaders in dating and sorting human-induced environmental change from natural change.
“This research will help us predict future impacts on our environment so we can, in turn, develop more sustainable land and water practices to conserve our environment.”
Senator Evans said designers and builders spent months sourcing and analysing materials with the lowest possible levels of natural radiation for the construction of the Centre.
“Providing an environment with low background radiation enables the state-of-the-art equipment to detect tiny amounts of radiation that would otherwise be drowned out,” Senator Evans said.
“Designers spent months locating and analysing materials with low radioactivity from cement in Gladstone, Queensland, and fine sand and gravel from Cowra in New South Wales.”
The building’s basement facility, enclosed by a 550kg door made from pre-World War II steel and 30cm thick concrete ceiling, floor and walls to limit interference, houses five gamma spectrometers – tools which will detect traces of radiation in samples from around the world.
The new Centre features a range of specialised radiochemistry and environmental monitoring laboratories that can unlock climate records held in sediment cores and tree ring samples.
“This information is like a history book - Scientists can analyse the data for indications of human impact, the effects of natural processes and climate change,” Senator Evans said.
Scientists at the Centre have already carried out critical work to control algal blooms in drinking water reservoirs here in Australia and in South East Asia, accurately dated the introduction of toxic algae in South Australian, Tasmanian and New Zealand marine environments and collaborated with the Australian National University to study the frequency of bushfires on several islands in the Pacific.
“Using nuclear techniques, ANSTO scientists have been able to determine the human activities that caused toxic algae blooms, which once affected oyster farmers in Tasmania and tuna farms in South Australia,” Senator Evans said.
“The ANSTO scientists were able to date the algae sources to ballast used in ships from the mid 1970s, which led to improvements in shipping practices – namely a ship’s ballast must now be cleaned before being released into the marine environment.
“Thanks to the new centre and equipment I am opening today, scientists will be able to do work like this much more quickly and efficiently.”
Senator Evans also toured ANSTO’s $460 million Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL) research reactor and the $62 million Australian Centre for Accelerator Science currently under construction.
Published: 24/04/2012