Food Testing at SHL -

Radiochemistry Section

Food Safety Task Force Meeting State Hygienic Laboratory

Coralville, IA Oct. 7, 2014

Marinea Mehrhoff

Radiochemistry, What is it?

Radiochemistry or nuclear chemistry is the study of radioactive elements both natural and artificial.

Isotopes are a form of an element that has

the same atomic number (same number of protons), but a different atomic mass due to a different number of neutrons.

Radiochemistry For example, carbon-12, carbon-13 and carbon-14

are three isotopes of the element carbon with mass numbers 12, 13 and 14 respectively. The atomic number of carbon is 6.

Radioisotopes All radioisotopes are unstable isotopes of

elements—undergo nuclear decay and emit some form of radiation. The radiation emitted can be one of three types, called alpha, beta, or gamma radiation. Type of radiation we look for depends on what equipment/method we use.

How Does Radiation Enter Food Supplies • Naturally occurring - banana and milk (K-40)

• Surface deposition from man made activities such

as fall out. • Ingestion/uptake/inhalation of radioisotopes from

air, soil or water by the plant or animal.

• Intentional / terrorism

Radiochemistry Section Staff:

• 2 ½ Staff members that also work in other environmental sections

• 2 back up chemists for emergencies

Radiochemistry Instruments Equipment:

• 3 Gas flow proportional counters • 12 Alpha spec detectors • 2 HPGe gamma spec detectors • 3 Liquid scintillation counters Gamma spec will be the instrument used most for food matrices.

Radiochemistry Matrices Tested Testing: • Mostly drinking water samples • Other Environmental fee for service work • Food, vegetation, milk, soil, air etc. • Bioassay

Radiochemistry Food Testing Partners: • Food and Drug Administration- Food Emergency

Response Network (FERN) program • IDPH- Emergency Response • Other Federal/State agencies as requested

Radiochemistry FERN • Only 5 funded radiological labs in the nation.

(WA, TX, WI, MD, NY) SHL participation is non-funded and voluntary. Samples are done as requested from FDA for assistance.

Radchem FERN Project Types • PT Samples- testing proficiency with known

methods or for validation of newly developed methods by FDA.

SHL has tested new methods for: orange and apple juice, apples, apricots, and canned tuna.

Radchem FERN Project Types • Surveillance samples- Everyday products being

screened for radioactivity. In 2012 SHL received food products such as chicken, smoked brisket, pork tenderloin that would be served at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions for chem, micro and rad.

IDPH Emergency Response/Preparedness

• State – Iowa Radiological Emergency Response to any nuclear incident.

• Extensive practice/preparedness for food ingestion pathway due to nuclear power plant accidents has set the ground work for any incident now.

• SHL and other gov’t. agencies provide field teams that collect samples.

• SHL Radiochemistry provides data that

decision makers within IDPH will make about consumption, storage or disposal of food.

IDPH Emergency Response/Preparedness

• Samples will be analyzed for alpha/beta/gamma radionuclides based on derived intervention levels established by FDA.

• Depending on the analysis/isotope needed, the samples can take from 1 hour to weeks to get results.

Other Agencies • SHL has participated in a monitoring program set up by

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Samples included milk, corn, fish and leafy vegetation for monitoring around the nuclear power plant. Those programs have ended due to funding cuts.

• SHL monitored milk from locations across the state for I-131 and Sr-90 due to above ground nuclear testing fall- out. Due to ending of above ground testing and the natural decline of the activity of the isotopes that program ended as well.

Capability

• SHL continues to provide capability and proficiency to test for numerous food matrices and methods needed by decision makers for public safety in the event of an emergency. This requires tremendous effort and we are here to help you.

Please contact us if you have questions.

Thank You Thank you !

Marinea Mehrhoff Radiochemistry Section Supervisor

Telephone: 319-335-4500 Email: marinea-mehrhoff@uiowa.edu