Centre for Radiochemistry Research (CRR)
The CRR was established in 1999 with support from BNFL. We are primarily interested in the chemistry of the radioactive elements, particularly Tc and the transuranic elements, and, inevitably, our research activities link closely to many aspects of the nuclear industry, from process chemistry to decontamination, decommissioning, waste management and environmental impact assessment. The CRR’s current research programme is funded by the nuclear industry (Nexia Solutions, AWE), the UK Research Councils (EPSRC, NERC), the EU (Framework VI), UK Government (CBRN programme) and the US Department of Energy.
We hosted the Actinides 2005 international conference and have recently held a symposium to commemorate two former Manchester chemists, Ken Bagnall and Bill Newton, both of whom worked on the radioactive elements. On behalf of the RSC’s Radiochemistry and Process Technology Groups, we are organising a one day meeting on Actinide Materials in November 2007.
Members of the Centre
Working with Radioactive Materials.
Radioactive materials present a significant hazard so experiments have to be done carefully. The bar chart shows how many multiples of the Annual Limit on Intake (ALI) are present in 1 mg of the different elements. We have a range of spectroscopic and analytical instruments (nmr, ir/Raman, uv-visible-near ir spectroscopies, electrochemistry, radiometrics) for use with radioactive materials, and have developed techniques for containing radioactive samples so they can be analysed safely elsewhere, for example at synchrotrons elsewhere in Europe (ROBL at ESRF and INE beamline at ANKA).
