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A case of illegal possession of suspect material at the Karasovići border crossing in Croatia was recently recorded and resolved. An increased activity of 226 Ra was detected in the suspect material. The seized material consisted of 2 types of samples, black powder and jewellery. The material was analysed by the high-resolution gamma spectrometry method in the Laboratory for Radioecology of the Ruđer Bošković Institute. The seized material was confirmed to contain uranium. The material was additionally analysed by the X-ray diffraction method. Identified mineral phases have not been found in Croatia so far, therefore it is not possible that the material in question originates from Croatia.

Coastal and estuarine sediments play an important role in the biogeochemical cycle of mercury (Hg) in the aquatic environment. When contaminated, sediments can act as a potential source of Hg and may pose a long-term risk to aquatic biota. The aim of this research was to assess spatial and historical distribution of Hg in the sediments of the Krka River estuary, an environment that so far has been regarded as relatively unpolluted. To achieve this goal, 40 surface sediment samples and 7 sediment cores were collected along the entire estuary. Hg concentrations in the surface and deep sediments of the Krka River estuary were found in a broad range 0.042–57.8 mg kg −1 , demonstrating significant spatial and temporal differences in Hg input to the estuarine sediments. Two distinct areas were distinguished; upper estuary where the Hg content was comparable to other unpolluted Adriatic sediments, and the lower estuary where sediment profiles reflected the history of anthropogenic Hg input associated with the city of Šibenik. The vertical Hg profile from the most affected area of the estuary, combined with 210 Pb and 137 Cs dating, demonstrated that a significant increase of Hg input started in late 1940s/early 1950s, mainly related to shipyard activities. This study provided more insight on the Hg concentration in the Krka River estuary, demonstrating that the high values obtained, although localized, were comparable to the ones found in some of the most contaminated sites in the Mediterranean.

Hrvatsko društvo za zaštitu od zračenja (HDZZ) organiziralo je 2. Piknik medicinske fzike i zaštite od zračenja u Zagrebu u suradnji s Hrvatskim društvom za medicinsku fziku (HDMF) i Kliničkom bolnicom Dubrava, u ožujku ove godine, s ciljem popularizacije struke među mladima. Tijekom simpozija održana je i izborna skupština HDZZ-a, na kojoj je izabrano novo vodstvo društva za naredno mandatno razdoblje. U subotu, 15. ožujka 2025., u prostorijama Kliničke bolnice Dubrava održan je drugi Piknik medicinske fzike i zaštite od zračenja, zajednički organiziran od strane Hrvatskog društva za medicinsku fziku (HDMF), Hrvatskog društva za zaštitu od zračenja (HDZZ) i Kliničke bolnice Dubrava. Sudjelovalo je oko 150 sudionika (Slika 1), a program je obuhvatio plenarne sekcije i dvije serije interaktivnih radionica. Uvodna predavanja obuhvatila su aktualne teme poput detekcije radona, načina nastanka radiološke slike, zaštite pacijenata pri radiološkom oslikavanju, dozimetrije u radioterapiji te važnosti mobilnog laboratorija za mjerenje radioaktivnosti u okolišu. Od 1. do 4. travnja 2025. u Vodicama je uspješno održan 14. simpozij Hrvatskog društva za zaštitu od zračenja s međunarodnim sudjelovanjem, pod pokroviteljstvom Ministarstva znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih. Suorganizatori simpozija bili su Institut Ruđer Bošković (IRB), Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada te Hrvatsko društvo medicinske fzike (HDMF). Canberra Packard Kft., Nuklearna elektrana Krško, LKB Vertriebs GmbH, Ekoteh dozimetrija d.o.o., Enconet, Rudarsko-geološko-naftni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Vindija d.d. i Atlantic Grupa d.d. Svoj doprinos simpoziju dali su i izlagači: Canberra Packard Kft., LKB Vertriebs GmbH, Jasika d.o.o., AlteaLife International te Siemens Healtcare d.o.o. Na svečanom otvaranju sudjelovali su brojni predstavnici srodnih društva iz zemlje i regije (Mađarska, Slovenija, Srbija). Simpozij je okupio više od 70 sudionika (Slika 3), uz bogat znanstveni program koji je uključivao 28 usmenih izlaganja i 29 posterskih priopćenja. Russell Alexander s predavanjem „Natural analogues (NA) of the enginered barrier system (EBS) te dr. sc. Uz to, program simpozija bio je izuzetno sadržajan i raznolik, obuhvaćajući niz tematskih sekcija koje su uključivale osim spomenutih i opće teme u znanosti o zračenju, biološke učinke zračenja, izloženost stanovništva zračenju, radioekologiju, radon te instrumentaciju i mjerne tehnike. Nagrada za najbolje usmeno izlaganje pripala je dr. sc. Nikoli Šegedinu s Medicinskog fakulteta u Zagrebu za izlaganje pod naslovom: „Utjecaj orijentacije detektora na učinak volumnog usrednjavanja u dozimetriji fotonskih snopova uređaja gama noža Perfexion\" (Slika 4), a za najbolji poster Aniti Crnov s KBC-a Zagreb, za postersko priopćenje naslova: „Implementacija CT simulatora u radioterapijski sustav KBC-a Zagreb\" (Slika 5). Tijekom simpozija održana je i izborna skupština Hrvatskog društva za zaštitu od zračenja (HDZZ). Nakon izlaganja izvješća uslijedili su izbori za novo vodstvo Društva. Za predsjednicu HDZZ-a ponovno je izabrana dr. sc. Ivana Coha, dok su za ostale ključne funkcije izabrani: dr. sc. Tomislav Bituh za dopredsjednika, dr. sc. Andreja Sironić za tajnicu, Iva Franulović za rizničarku te dr. sc. Ivana Tucaković za predsjednicu Zbora članova. Marina Poje Sovilj te dr. sc.

The AMADEUS experiment deals with the investigation of the low-energy kaon-nuclei hadronic interaction at the DAΦNE collider at LNF-INFN, fundamental to respond to longstanding open questions in the non-perturbative QCD in the strangeness sector. One of the most interesting aspects is to understand how hadron masses and interactions change in the nuclear environment. The antikaon-nucleon potential is investigated searching for signals from possible bound kaonic clusters, which would imply a strongly attractive antikaon-nucleon potential. AMADEUS step 0 consists in the analysis of 2004/2005 KLOE data, exploring K− absorptions in H, 4He, 9Be and 12C present in setup materials. The status of the various preliminary analyses is presented, together with future perspectives.

We briefly report on the search for Deeply Bound Kaonic Nuclear States with AMADEUS in the Σ0p channel following K− absorption on 12C and outline future perspectives for this work.

The AMADEUS experiment deals with the investigation of the low-energy kaon-nuclei hadronic interaction at the DAΦNE collider at LNF-INFN, fundamental to respond to longstanding open questions in the non-perturbative QCD in the strangeness sector. One of the most interesting aspects is to understand how hadron masses and interactions change in the nuclear environment. The antikaon-nucleon potential is investigated searching for signals from possible bound kaonic clusters, which would imply a strongly attractive antikaon-nucleon potential. AMADEUS step 0 consists in the analysis of 2004/2005 KLOE data, exploring K− absorptions in H, 4He, 9Be and 12C present in setup materials. The status of the various preliminary analyses is presented, together with future perspectives.

The AMADEUS experiment deals with the investigation of the low-energy kaon-nuclei hadronic interaction at the DA[Phi]NE collider at LNF-INFN, fundamental to respond to longstanding open questions in the non-perturbative QCD in the strangeness sector. One of the most interesting aspects is to understand how hadron masses and interactions change in the nuclear environment. The antikaon-nucleon potential is investigated searching for signals from possible bound kaonic clusters, which would imply a strongly attractive antikaon-nucleon potential. AMADEUS step 0 consists in the analysis of 2004/2005 KLOE data, exploring K- absorptions in H, super(4)He, super(9)Be and super(12)C present in setup materials. The status of the various preliminary analyses is presented, together with future perspectives.

The low-energy strong interaction of antikaons (K-) with nuclei has many facets and rep- resents a lively and challenging research field. It is interconnected to the peculiar role of strangeness, since the strange quark is rather light, but still much heavier than the up and down quarks. Thus, when strangeness is involved one has to deal with spontaneous and explicit symmetry breaking in QCD. It is well known that the antikaon interaction with nucleons is attractive, but how strong ? Is the interaction strong enough to bind nucleons to form kaonic nuclei and, if so, what are the properties (binding energy, decay width)? There are controversial indications for such bound states and new results are expected to come soon. The existence of antikaon mediated bound states might have important consequences since it would open the possibility for the formation of cold baryonic matter of high density which might have a severe impact in astrophysics for the understanding of the composi- tion of compact (neutron) stars. New experimental opportunities could be provided by the AMADEUS experiment at the DA?NE electron-positron collider at LNF-INFN (Frascati, Italy). Pre-AMADEUS studies on the antikaon interaction with nuclei are carried out by analysis of data collected by KLOE in till 2005 and in special data runs using a carbon target insert. Studies for the dedicated AMADEUS detector setup taking advantage of the low-energy antikaons from Phi-meson decay delivered by DAFNE are in progress. Some re- sults obtained so far and the perspectives of the AMADEUS experiment are presented and discussed.