SCOPE
Official control, monitoring and surveillance of radioactivity and applied research in:
· Food
· Water
· Air
· Terrestrial and Marine Environment
Our aim is:
· The protection of public health and vulnerable groups from ionizing radiation
· The creation of a database for future use in case of a nuclear accident or a radiological emergency incidence.
ACTIVITIES
The laboratory was established at the State General Laboratory of Cyprus (SGL), following the Chernobyl nuclear accident, to determine the degree of food and soil contamination in Cyprus.
a) Compliance control, monitoring and surveillance programmes
The annual National Control Programme (in collaboration with the Competent Authority) covers environmental and food samples.
The programmes for the monitoring and control of environmental radioactivity levels are related with the selection of samples-indicators.
The sampling system applied for food is a combination of “random” sampling and “target” samples with specific combinations of food - radionuclide.
The programme includes determination of:
· γ–radionuclides in food and environmental samples (mixed diet, milk, potable water, airborne particulates from the atmosphere, algae, sea sediments and beach sand.
· total α/β radiation in water intended for human consumption.
· total β - radiation on filters low volume carrying airborne particulates from the atmosphere.
· Sr-90 in milk.
b) Applied Research
The Laboratory participated in the following projects:
· The GEMS/Food-EURO/Cyprus: Research and Monitoring Project on the Environmental Contamination of Food (1995-1999).
· The International Study “Radiological Impact Assessment in the South-eastern Mediterranean Area” (1998-1999).
· CYP/8005/02 Sustainability of Nuclear Institutions and Knowledge Management Project, (2006-2008), IAEA.
· RER 7/03 Regional Technical Co-operation Marine Environmental Assessment of the Mediterranean Region, 2006-2008, IAEA.
The priorities of the first applied research were:
· The formation of the National programme for the monitoring of radioactivity levels in food and environmental samples (terrestrial and marine)
· The creation of a database on the levels of artificial radionuclides in food and environmental samples and
· The formation of capabilities and structures for early identification of upward trends due to nuclear accidents in neighbouring countries or potential use of nuclear weapons
The first data base concerning the mapping of artificial and natural radionuclides in soil has been developed in cooperation with Demokritos - the Greek National Center for Scientific Research, covering all the non-occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
c) International Collaborations
The Laboratory maintains close links with IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna), Demokritos (National Center for Scientific Research, Greece) and GAEC (Greek Atomic Energy Commission). The laboratory is a member of the ALMERA Network and participates in the annual meetings.
The scope of accreditation of the Laboratory according to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 can be found on the web page CYS-CYSAB (Accredited Bodies, Laboratories of the State General Laboratory of Cyprus).