Course coming soon!

Nuclear metrology — the science of accurately measuring ionising radiation and radionuclides — forms the foundation of safe, reliable and internationally comparable radioactivity measurements. These measurements are critical in fields where the identification, quantification, and control of ionising radiation are essential for public safety, regulatory compliance, and health, including healthcare, environmental monitoring, nuclear decommissioning and national security.

As the UK’s National Metrology Institute, NPL provides the primary radioactivity standards that underpin all UK measurements. To support the next generation of specialists, as well as those with a general interest in nuclear metrology, we have developed a radiochemistry pathway of two e-learning courses:

• Introduction to Radiochemistry
• Radioactivity Measurement using Mass Spectrometry

Throughout the courses, you will learn about where radiation comes from, its history and its applications in everyday life. You will discover which elemental isotopes are radioactive and the science behind some key processes, such as radioactive decay and nuclear reactions. You will then discover how mass spectrometry can be used to measure radioactivity and the different types of instrument that can be used to perform these measurements.

This course, Introduction to Radiochemistry, will provide you with an overview of the different aspects of radiochemistry — the study of radiation from an atomic and molecular perspective. You will discover some key historical milestones related to radiation, as well as the different sources of radiation and some everyday applications of radioactive elements, from nuclear power generation to nuclear medicine. The course also delves into the science behind radioactivity, including which elemental isotopes are radioactive, how they behave in solution, the principles of nuclear reactions and the process of radioactive decay.  This course is the first of two radiochemistry courses. If you are interested in learning more, please see Radioactivity Measurement Using Mass Spectrometry.