Radiochemical Analyses

ORAU's Radiochemistry Laboratory Analyzes Environmental Samples in Support of Radiological Cleanup Projects

If your survey project requires specialized analysis of environmental samples, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) offers extensive radioanalytical capabilities at our very own radiochemistry laboratory.

ORAU understands that quality and accuracy are essential in the radioanalytical process. We strive to maintain our reputation as a leader in the field of independent environmental assessment and verification by ensuring our laboratory’s quality assurance program exceeds industry standards.

Our radiochemistry lab achieves greater than 98 percent accuracy and participates in regular internal and external quality assurance audits to ensure the highest quality results for your project.

As the primary radiochemistry laboratory for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, we also perform radioanalytical examinations for the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies and state governments.

Key laboratory capabilities include:

• alpha spectroscopy
• gamma spectroscopy
• liquid scintillation spectroscopy
• low-background gross alpha and beta assays
• radiochemical analyses for alpha and beta emitters

We maintain comprehensive procedures to ensure process integrity throughout the analytical process. Experienced chemists maintain the highest quality standards and productivity in the areas of:

• Sample tracking and preparation
• Gamma counting
• Alpha isotopic analysis
• Alpha and beta counting
• Data analysis
• Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and data reporting

The turnaround time for sample analysis of routine environmental matrices is typically 30 working days depending on the number of samples. If you need samples analyzed sooner, our laboratory is also capable of handling special requests for rush processing when circumstances require more rapid response.