Ascolta

 

Description:

The research activities, in accordance with the scientific-disciplinary contents of the SSD, concern engineering aspects related to the design, construction and use of instrumentation for measuring ionizing radiation, including innovative ones. In particular, methods and techniques are studied for the detection of radiation emitted by natural and artificial radionuclides, as well as by X-ray and gamma-ray machines, to determine the characteristics of the radiation fields and define radiation protection devices capable of ensuring high standards of safety and protection in the applications of radioisotopes in medical-, industrial- and other complex plants.

Furthermore, part of the activity is oriented to the study and detection of environmental radioactivity, to the quantification of environmental dose, to survey techniques on contaminated sites., safety and radiation protection.

The research areas currently active are the following:

• Spectrometry with germanium detectors, with the development of methods and techniques for using and shielding detectors, and analyzing gamma-ray spectra;
• Measurements of environmental radioactivity, with the development of techniques for the collection and measurement of atmospheric particulate and the implementation of low-background spectrometric systems;
• Use of Nuclear Instrumentation and study of innovative components, mainly oriented to the realization of computerized counting instrumentation, and dose monitors.
• Assessment and / or dose measurement methods and optimization of radiation protection in complex type plants, with particular attention to safety aspects and assessment of dose for workers and population in case of accidents in Nuclear Medicine and radiotherapy departments.
• Evaluation of the effects of radiation on electronic components, dosimeters, materials, etc., with the use of gamma and neutron irradiators, for the study of material characteristics.

List of the main research projects:

• SAPERO Project (in collaboration with the ARNAS-Civic Company), funded by the Health Department of the Sicily region.
• FFABR_2017 (Funding for basic research activities), funded by MIUR.

Keywords: Nuclear Measurements, Dosimetry, Ionizing Radiation. Radiation protection.