Investigators and Program Directors

Research Interests

I am developing a radiobioassay program to determine individual intake of radioisotopes in case of nuclear emergency. Calculating the intake is a critical step in assessing exposure and defining strategies for remedy.

Radioactive isotopes, if not managed properly, might cause significant environmental and health hazards. I am interested in studying the damage and repair mechanisms of DNA after exposure to actinides. Inhalation or ingestion of actinides may occur in case of nuclear emergency.

Another area of interest is the minimization of radioactive waste toxicity. The technique consists of transmutation of long-lived actinides to short-lived isotopes. This method requires sophisticated incineration reactors. To help design incineration reactors, it is important to provide nuclear parameters for actinides and minor actinides. Minor actinides are responsible for most of the radiotoxic inventory due to their very long half lives and their chemical mobility. The aim of this project is to provide nuclear parameters such as neutron capture sections, fission sections and delayed neutron data for actinides. Actinide targets are developed at the Wadsworth Center and at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The targets are irradiated with high flux neutrons at the Institut Lau-Langevin reactor, France. After irradiation, alpha and gamma spectroscopies are performed to characterize nuclear reaction products. The cross sections for neutron capture and fission reactions are calculated.

Contact Information

Phone: (518) 474-6095
Fax: (518) 473-2895
E-mail: ilham.almahamid@wadsworth.org