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Functional plastic scintillators have attracted much attention for their usefulness in on-site monitoring and detection in environments. In this study, we elucidated a highly reliable and functional plastic scintillator for detection of radioactive strontium, which means a potent perovskite-loaded polymeric scintillation material based on epoxy and 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO). Moreover, Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation was performed to optimize the thickness of a plastic scintillator for efficient strontium detection. A thickness of 2 mm was found to be the optimum thickness for strontium beta-ray detection. A newly developed plastic scintillator with 430 nm emission from perovskite loading could trigger scintillation enhancement employing potential indication of perovskite energy transfer into a photomultiplier (PMT) detector. Furthermore, the response to beta-ray emitter of 90Sr was compared to commercial scintillator of BC-400 by exhibiting detection efficiency in the energy spectrum with a fabricated perovskite-loaded plastic scintillator. We believe that this suggested functional plastic scintillator could be employed as a radiation detector for strontium detection in a wide range of applications including decommissioning sites in nuclear facilities, nuclear security and monitoring, nonproliferation, and safeguards.

To estimate the beta- and gamma-ray doses in a brick sample taken from Odaka, Minami-Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, a Monte Carlo calculation was performed with Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) code. The calculated results were compared with data obtained by single-grain retrospective luminescence dosimetry of quartz inclusions in the brick sample. The calculated result agreed well with the measured data. The dose increase measured at the brick surface was explained by the beta-ray contribution, and the slight slope in the dose profile deeper in the brick was due to the gamma-ray contribution. The skin dose was estimated from the calculated result as 164 mGy over 3 years at the sampling site.

Nuclear energy offers a wide range of applications, which include power generation, X-ray imaging, and non-destructive tests, in many economic sectors. However, such applications come with the risk of harmful radiation, thereby requiring shielding to prevent harmful effects on the surrounding environment and users. Concrete has long been used as part of structures in nuclear power plants, X-ray imaging rooms, and radioactive storage. The direction of recent research is headed toward concrete’s ability in attenuating harmful energy radiated from nuclear sources through various alterations to its composition. Radiation shielding concrete (RSC) is a composite-based concrete that was developed in the last few years with heavy natural aggregates such as magnetite or barites. RSC is deemed a superior alternative to many types of traditional normal concrete in terms of shielding against the harmful radiation, and being economical and moldable. Given the merits of RSCs, this article presents a comprehensive review on the subject, considering the classifications, alternative materials, design additives, and type of heavy aggregates used. This literature review also provides critical reviews on RSC performance in terms of radiation shielding characteristics, mechanical strength, and durability. In addition, this work extensively reviews the trends of development research toward a broad understanding of the application possibilities of RSC as an advanced concrete product for producing a robust and green concrete composite for the construction of radiation shielding facilities as a better solution for protection from sources of radiation. Furthermore, this critical review provides a view of the progress made on RSCs and proposes avenues for future research on this hotspot research topic.

Over the past decade, theranostic imaging has emerged as a powerful clinical tool in oncology for identifying patients likely to respond to targeted therapies and for monitoring the response of patients to treatment. Herein, we report a theranostic approach to pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) based on a pair of radioisotopes of copper: positron-emitting copper-64 (64Cu, t 1/2 = 12.7 h) and beta particle-emitting copper-67 (67Cu, t 1/2 = 61.8 h). This strategy is predicated on the in vivo ligation between a trans-cyclooctene (TCO)-bearing antibody and a tetrazine (Tz)-based radioligand via the rapid and bioorthogonal inverse electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction. Longitudinal therapy studies were conducted in a murine model of human colorectal carcinoma using an immunoconjugate of the huA33 antibody modified with TCO (huA33-TCO) and a 67Cu-labeled Tz radioligand ([67Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz). The injection of huA33-TCO followed 72 h later by the administration of 18.5, 37.0, or 55.5 MBq of [67Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz produced a dose-dependent therapeutic response, with the median survival time increasing from 68 d for the lowest dose to >200 d for the highest. Furthermore, we observed that mice that received the highest dose of [67Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz in a fractionated manner exhibited improved hematological values without sacrificing therapeutic efficacy. Dual radionuclide experiments in which a single administration of huA33-TCO was followed by separate injections of [64Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz and [67Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz revealed that the positron emission tomography images produced by the former accurately predicted the efficacy of the latter. In these experiments, a correlation was observed between the tumoral uptake of [64Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz and the subsequent therapeutic response to [67Cu]Cu-MeCOSar-Tz.

Cet ouvrage a pour objet de rassembler les connaissances de base, aussi bien théoriques que pratiques concernant la mesure d'activité des radionucléides se désintégrant par transition bêta et par extension par certaines transitions nucléaires induisant l'émission d'électrons.

The paper proposes the use of axially asymmetric magnetic fields in the design of magnetic spectrometers, which improve their performance, namely energy resolution and luminosity. The proposed mathematical model includes the geometry of both particle trajectory in the phase space and devices forming the particle ensemble. The compression-tension class of geometric transformations is determined herein, which maintain the focusing and dispersive properties of the magnetic field of the energy analyzer of the magnetic spectrometer. It is shown that the particle focusing and their energy dispersion can be improved by using the asymmetric fields. The use of elliptical current circuits in the design of the energy analyzer of the magnetic spectrometer is proposed to create the magnetic field with improved characteristics. The proposed theory will make it possible to design magnetic spectrometers with a diverse configuration of axially asymmetric magnetic field, providing the higher energy resolution and luminosity.

Ensuring nuclear safety has become of great significance as nuclear power is playing an increasingly important role in supplying worldwide electricity. β-ray monitoring is a crucial method, but commercial organic scintillators for β-ray detection suffer from high temperature failure and irradiation damage. Here, we report a type of β-ray scintillator with good thermotolerance and irradiation hardness based on a two-dimensional halide perovskite. Comprehensive composition engineering and doping are carried out with the rationale elaborated. Consequently, effective β-ray scintillation is obtained, the scintillator shows satisfactory thermal quenching and high decomposition temperature, no functionality decay or hysteresis is observed after an accumulated radiation dose of 10 kGy (dose rate 0.67 kGy h −1 ). Besides, the two-dimensional halide perovskite β-ray scintillator also overcomes the notorious intrinsic water instability, and benefits from low-cost aqueous synthesis along with superior waterproofness, thus paving the way towards practical application. Efficient radiation monitoring ensures safety in nuclear power, but beta-ray scintillators should be developed for use near a highly radioactive and hot reactor. Here, the authors report a two-dimensional halide perovskite-based beta-ray scintillator with high irradiation hardness and thermotolerance.

Inorganic scintillators play a major role in ionizing radiation detection due to their high versatility to detect multiple radiation sources such as X-rays, gamma-rays, alpha, beta, and neutron particles, and their fast and high light yield, making them especially convenient for imaging, spectroscopy, and timing applications. Scintillators-based detection systems are found, among various applications, in medical imaging, homeland security, high-energy physics, industrial control, oil drilling explorations, and energy management. This Review discusses advances and prospects of perovskite scintillators, particularly low-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite crystals and all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals. We highlight the promise of two-dimensional lithium-doped (PEA) 2 PbBr 4 crystals and CsPbBr 3 nanocrystals as scintillators with high light yields, exceeding 20 photons/keV, and fast decay times of less than 15 ns. Such a combination may result in fast-spectral X-ray imaging, an output count rate exceeding 30 Mcps/pixel in photon-counting computed tomography, and coincidence timing resolution of less than 100 ps in positron emission tomography. We review recent strategies to further improve light yield, decay time, and coincidence timing resolution through light-matter interactions such as extraction efficiency enhancement and Purcell-enhanced scintillators. These advancements in light yields and decay times of perovskite scintillators will be particularly useful in the medical and security applications. Scintillators are materials of great interest for versatile and fast radiation detection systems. This Review discusses recent advances and strategies to improve the light yield, decay time, and coincidence timing resolution of all-inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite scintillators.

Radiation shielding materials based on composites play a crucial role in safeguarding nuclear-related installations, equipment, and employees from harmful radiation. With the advent of new and challenging nuclear security conditions, the development of radiation-protective materials has undergone significant changes. Thanks to the advancements in science and technology, especially in the field of nanomaterials technology, it is now possible to produce radiation protection materials that offer high all-around performance. This article discusses the current research on composite-based radiation shielding materials. It first describes the current state and distribution of radiation shielding studies worldwide. Then, it categorizes and reviews composite-based radiation protection materials, taking into account the study topic and the field’s requirements. The three broad categories of composite-based radiation protection materials are polymer-based composites, metal-based composites, and fabric-based composites. Space radiation shielding materials are categorized separately (as a point of reference). The mechanical, thermal, and shielding properties of radiation protection materials are briefly discussed here. In addition, the primary research challenges are outlined along with the research methodologies that academics employ to examine properties and property change trends. Finally, a summary of the properties of the radiation protection materials discussed in the complete paper is provided, followed by an analysis of the current research gaps and potential future paths.

The suppression of spurious events in the region of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay will play a major role in next generation experiments. The background of detectors based on the technology of cryogenic calorimeters is expected to be dominated by \\[\\alpha \\] particles, that could be disentangled from double beta decay signals by exploiting the difference in the emission of the scintillation light. CUPID-0, an array of enriched Zn\\[^{82}\\]Se scintillating calorimeters, is the first large mass demonstrator of this technology. The detector started data-taking in 2017 at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso with the aim of proving that dual read-out of light and heat allows for an efficient suppression of the \\[\\alpha \\] background. In this paper we describe the software tools we developed for the analysis of scintillating calorimeters and we demonstrate that this technology allows to reach an unprecedented background for cryogenic calorimeters.