The Central Mining Institute (GIG) improves its research and development infrastructure – the Laboratory of Radiometry has moved to a newly built and equipped seat located at 1 Gwarków Sq. Scientists assure it is the most modern lab of its kind in Poland.
While the works on the building had been concluded in October last year, the laboratory has commenced its full activity in the new seat at the beginning of 2012 as the new equipment had to be installed in the facility. A total cost of creating the new R&D unit amounts to PLN 12 million – GIG has spent PLN 7 million to erect the building and PLN 5 million to provide it with a modern equipment and fittings. The investment was co-financed by the European Union funds. Budus S.A. was a prime contractor of the seat.
The lab focuses on both scientific and commercial projects. Its scope of available services includes measurements of concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in different samples, dosimetry of ionizing radiation, radon measurements in soil and air. Scientists are also able to perform the aerosols’ size distribution measurements.
“The Laboratory of Radiometry is responsible for the monitoring of natural radioactivity and radioactive pollution in the natural environment. Also, as the only one institution in Poland, we are prepared to monitor the artificial radiation connected with, for example, the nuclear energy. Among plenty of high-tech devices, the lab is equipped with installation for the monitoring of ionizing radioactivity” – says Małgorzata Wysocka, head of the laboratory.
The Laboratory of Radiometry is a part of the system of radioactive pollution monitoring in Poland. It is done within the early warning network for nuclear accident, supervised by Polish Atomic Energy Agency. Moreover it is a member of “ALMERA” Network (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity). The network finds and links laboratories around the globe, having capabilities of making reliable and quick measurements of radioactive pollution in case of emergency.
