Richland scientists want to stop terrorists from getting radioactive material for ‘dirty bombs’

A Pacific Northwest National Laboratory system to help keep radioactive materials used by industry out of the hands of terrorists should soon be available commercially.

Radioactive materials — called radioactive sources — are used by industry for tasks that use radiation to supply information.

For example, the radiation can be used to help determine the extent of oil fields or to verify the quality of welding seams at construction or other job sites.

The system developed at the Department of Energy national laboratory in Richland combines radio frequency tags, global positioning systems, radiation detection and software to keep track of radioactive materials. It also can detect tampering and issue alerts.

“The system is a first line of defense against radiological terrorism and provides situational awareness if the material is tampered with or moved from where it is supposed to be,” said Brian Higgins, PNNL manager of the project.

The thousands of radioactive sources used by industry worldwide are mostly of limited use for “dirty bombs” with a goal of seriously sickening or killing humans by spewing radiological contamination, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The PNNL technology, developed with funding from the National Nuclear Security Administration could be used in industry in the United States or internationally, which would reduce the risk of such material crossing borders to enter the United States.

PNNL system to go international

The federal agency already has deployed the technology in a dozen places in the United States and is now working with PNNL’s initial commercialization partner, Golden Security Services, and international partners to secure mobile radiation sources outside the United States.

Golden Security Systems, of Miami, Fla., will produce the system and expects to sell the technology, called Mobile Source Transit Security, in Latin America first.

It has exclusive rights to commercialize the technology in Mexico, Central America and South America and non-exclusive rights to market it in the United States and Canada.

“Technology transfer to industry is an important mission of the laboratory, especially in the area of nuclear security, where the consequences can be severe,” said Kannan Krishnaswami, who manages commercialization of national security technologies for PNNL.

PNNL partnered with Baker Hughes, an international oil field services company, to understand the security issues for radioactive sources security and industries’ operational needs.

Oil field mapping is a particular concern because an oil mapping truck can travel several hundred miles from its home base, carrying radiation sources inside casks that shield radiation and help meet U.S. Department of Transportation requirements.

The Mobile Source Transit Security’s sensor technology and software can track the truck and radiation sources and alert officials if the radiation source moves from where it is supposed to be.

The system also can detect changes in radiation levels, which can indicate material has been removed from its shielding cask.

Before the system was commercialized it was made more rugged to withstand the elements on job sites, said Kurt Silvers, lead engineer on the PNNL project.

“Seeing actual products go out in the field feels good,” he said.