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 measurements across the UK. 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.

In this course, Radioactivity Measurement Using Mass Spectrometry, you will learn how mass spectrometry can be used to measure radioactivity. You will discover why measuring radioactivity is important, how we can measure radioactivity by measuring mass and where this may be useful. The course also covers how mass spectrometry works, a number of different instrument designs and some things to consider before performing a radioactivity measurement. If you haven’t yet completed our other course and are interested in learning more, please enrol in Introduction to Radiochemistry.