Annual Report July 2016 – June 2017 Bangladesh Atomic Energy
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Annual Report July 2016 – June 2017 Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Introduction Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) was founded in February 1973 through the promulgation of Presidential Order 15 of 1973 with the objective of promoting peaceful applications of nuclear energy in Bangladesh. By this time BAEC emerged as the largest organization for scientific and technological research especially in the field of nuclear energy in this country. The essentially goal-oriented research & development (R&D) programmes in physical sciences, biological sciences, engineering sciences and nuclear power field have been undertaken in the light of the overall need of the country so that the outcome of the activities can be directly contributed for socio-economic betterment. Programmes of BAEC are chosen in a manner so that the priority, aspiration and needs of the country are amply reflected in their execution. Notable services of BAEC include modern nuclear medicine services to mass people, specially to the poorest section of the society, protection of public health and the environment through radioactivity monitoring of all imported food items, practice of safety culture against all kinds of radiation hazards, sterilization of medicine and medical equipment, food preservation, development of high quality polymer materials, chemical analysis of industrial products for QC purposes, chemical analysis of food and environmental samples for protection against pollution, industrial NDT and material testing services etc. In the last few years, the BAEC has undertaken the challenge of implementing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project (RNPP) as one of its highest priority task. The R&D programmes of BAEC are executed through its different institutes, centres and divisional laboratories equipped with state-of the-art facilities and installation. The major facilities include 3 MW BTRR, 3MV Tandem Accelerator Facility, 3MV Van de Graff Accelerator, Two Co-60 gamma irradiator, Central Radioactive Waste Processing and Storage Facilities, Nuclear apparatus and scanning devices in National Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (NINMAS) and 14 Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) located at different district headquarters, Radioisotope Production Laboratory, Radioactivity Testing and Monitoring Laboratory, Beach Sand Minerals Processing Pilot Plant etc. Apart from R&D activities, the following divisions of BAEC are playing vital role in executing various programmes undertaken by BAEC. International Affairs Division (IAD): This division is playing a key role for maintaining liaison with many foreign countries and international organizations particularly International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with a view of transferring the technology as well as developing human resources in the field of nuclear technology. This division is also in constant communication with IAEA in order to fulfill the country’s obligation in matters related to Nuclear Safeguards and Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. It also maintains liaison with other international bodies like RCA, FNCA etc. Planning and Development Division (PDD): This division is responsible for planning, development and execution of different ADP and special R&D projects. Scientific Information Division (SID): This division is responsible for selection, collection, processing and providing information to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with the R&D activities and different services of BAEC. Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards Division (NSSD): This division is responsible for fulfilling the obligations rendered on operators under the signed international treaties, agreements, protocols and conventions related to safety, security, physical protection and safeguards of nuclear and radioactive materials. R&D activities conducted during the period of July 2016 to June 2017 in the various fields of nuclear science & technology are described in this report. 1 Annual Report July 2016 – June 2017 Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES I. PHYSICAL SCIENCES ATOMIC ENERGY CENTRE (AEC), DHAKA Accelerator Facilities Division (AFD) Objective The objectives of this Division are (a) to operate and maintain the 3 MV Van de Graaff Accelerator and its associated auxiliary systems (b) to develop ion beam experimental facilities (c) to utilize the accelerator ion beam for research and development works in the field of health, environment, agriculture, industry, etc. (d) to provide accelerator beam time to other users for research and service purposes. Activities/Programme(s) Accelerator Facilities Division of the Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka operates and maintains the 3 MV Van de Graaff Accelerator and its associated auxiliary systems, which is capable of accelerating proton beam in the current range of nano to micro-amperes. The researchers of various groups are utilizing the proton beam with associated facilities of VDG Accelerator Laboratory widely for elemental analysis of environmental, health, biological, agricultural and industrial samples using IBA techniques Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Proton Induced Gamma Emission (PIGE). Besides this, this division has taken an initiative to establish an institute under the ADP project entitled as “Institute of Nuclear Medical Physics (INMP)”. 1. Research and Development Work(s) 1.1 Operation and Management of the 3 MV Van de Graaff Accelerator M. J. Abedin, S. Akter, M. M. Ahasan and M. R. Mozumder Objective: The main objective is to keep the accelerator operational, to produce and accelerate the proton beam for research and service purpose. Routine maintenance of the accelerator is also included in this programme. Current progress: Now the accelerator is in operation. According to the user’s demands, the accelerator has been operated to produce and accelerate the proton beam for sample irradiation. For quantitative measurements of both the essential and toxic elements offish samples of polluted lake, lake sediment samples, soil samples of Aila affected area, Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach area, medicinal plants, Industrial soils and vegetables have been collected, dried, grinded and prepared as pellets. Radionuclide detection of lake sediments and soil samples also have been done using newly developed Gamma Spectroscopy System. The researchers from different universities are doing their research works for MS, MPhil and PhD thesis using PIGE and PIXE techniques with the collaboration of Van de Graaff Accelerator laboratory of AECD. 1.2 Elemental Analysis and Pollution Assessment of Some Soil Samples of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach Area M. J. Abedin, S. Akter, M. M. Ahasan and L. Jaman* Objective: The objective of the research work is to develop a methodology using the PIXE technique for the identification of the pollutant in Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach area of Bangladesh. The goal is to determine the exact quantification of essential and toxic elements of soil and to provide sufficient information to evaluate their impact on human health and the environment. Current progress: Another 35 soil samples have been collected, dried, made fine powder and the pellets. The pellets have been irradiated by 2.4 MeV proton beam at the current ranges of 10 to 15 nA. IBA technique PIXE was applied for sample irradiation. Spectrum data acquisition is done by the software MAESTRO-32. The spectrum data have been analyzed using software GUPIX/DAN-32. A seminar was held on this research work at Physics Department of Jahangirnagar University. An international publication also published under 2 Annual Report July 2016 – June 2017 Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission this research works.A PhD thesis will be submitted to the Dept. of Physics, Jahangirnagar University under this programmeme. * Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh 1.3 Analysis of Elemental Concentration of Medicinal Plant using Ion Beam Analyticaltechnique PIXE to Establish a Elemental Database M. J. Abedin, S. Akter, M. M. Ahasan and M. Z. Hossain* Objective: The main objective of the research work is to explore and identify the major and trace elements presence in medicinal plants grown in Bangladesh and to estimate the concentration of major and trace elements in plants or parts of the plants those are commonly considered as useful and efficient for various therapeutic purposes. Current progress: Forty different medicinal plant samples have been collected, dried, grinded as fine powder and made pellets (7 mm dia. & 1mm thick). The pellet samples have been irradiated by proton beam of 2.4 MeV. A PhD thesis has been written using the research results and will be submitted under this programmeme to the department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University within 30 June 2017. * Department of Physics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh 1.4 Quantitative Analysis of Trace Element in Fishes and Sediments of Polluted Lakes in Dhaka City Using IBA Techniques and Radioactivity Measurement of lake Sediment M. J. Abedin, S. Akter, M. M. Ahasan and M. A. Rahman* Objective: The main objective of the research work is the elemental analysis of fish and sediment samples of lakes in Dhaka city, determination of heavy metal accumulation in fish and soil and to detect the radionuclide of lake sediment samples. Current progress: Fifty five different fishes and fifteen lake sediment samples have been collected, dried, made fine powder, pellets have been made (7 mm dia. & 1mm thick). The pellets have been irradiated by proton