Jacobs Deploys Scientific Breakthrough in Radioactive and Hazardous Substance Contamination Monitoring

Raman spectroscopy¹ – which works by firing lasers at a target and measuring the resulting molecular vibrations – is one of the most effective techniques for identifying specific chemical compounds. But it is rarely used in nuclear decommissioning, where access constraints and high radiation fields can prevent the spectrometer from working at its typical effective range.

However, a team from Jacobs and IS Instruments, based in Kent, U.K, designed a new type of Raman system which can still detect a weak laser signal when several meters from the target. In addition, the team found a way to mount the Raman probe onto either a remotely operated vehicle or robot arm. This enables the probe to get within two meters of the target and send a signal down an optical cable to the main Raman instrument, safely positioned tens of meters away.

"Standard equipment often cannot detect specific chemical agents, either because it can't get close enough or because the signals are crowded out by the overall radiation levels," said Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions International Senior Vice President Clive White. "This new type of Raman system is an important breakthrough for the nuclear industry because it provides greater certainty about the presence of hazardous materials in high radiation waste facilities, making the materials easier, cheaper and safer to detect."

Jacobs and Innovate UK, a U.K. government agency, have provided funding to take the system from proof-of-concept to commercial application. It is now being used to detect uranium and also substances such as kerosene and tri-butyl phosphate, which are used in reprocessing operations and can indicate the presence of plutonium or uranium contamination.

Legacy nuclear facilities sometimes contain significant amounts of poorly unidentified or unknown waste materials, so improved characterization capability can reduce decommissioning costs and timescales.

Raman technology is also a key feature of a new integrated decommissioning system built by Jacobs, which won a recent U.K. Government-funded innovation competition and will be demonstrated inside highly radioactive former fuel reprocessing facilities at Sellafield later this year.

Outside of the nuclear sector, this advance in Raman technology will be a valuable tool in areas where human access is impossible or problematic.

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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¹ https://is-instruments.com/background-science/what-is-raman-spectroscopy/

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SOURCE Jacobs