Interested contributors have until 12 August to submit an abstract to present at the IAEA International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology (ICARST) to be held in Vienna from 24 to 28 April 2017.
“ICARST is a place where scientists can come together, exchange and challenge ideas and objectively examine the advantages and drawbacks of these technologies,” said Jean Louis Boutaine, former Head of the Research Department of the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums in France and speaker at the conference. “It’s an opportunity for specialists to explore the untapped potential of radiation technologies.”
ICARST will serve as a platform for more than 300 industry professionals, officials and academics from countries worldwide to explore the latest developments in the applications of radiation science and technology to meet global challenges. The conference will comprise a mix of plenary sessions, keynote speeches, oral and poster presentations and panel discussions.
Find out more about the conference and submission details here.
Application of radiation techniques
Radiation science and technology are used worldwide in everyday life. They draw on different types of radiation such as electron beams and gamma rays to sterilize medical products, improve safety of car parts, reduce the environmental impact of the industrial sector, preserve cultural artefacts and purify water for public use, among other applications.
“Agriculture in India has benefited from using gamma ray irradiated sewage sludge as fertilizers, and in Romania gamma rays have been used to combat the damaging effects of insects on cultural relics such as wooden altars in orthodox churches,” said Andrzej Chmielewski, Director General of the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Poland and speaker at the conference. “Even some mummies from Cairo have been treated in France with gamma ray technology for preservation.”
Open source radiotracers have also been a particularly beneficial non-destructive test in the petrochemical industry in Poland, Chmielewski added. Non-destructive testing is a quality control method using radiation “and can prevent leakages in distillation columns and other installations, which can be very cost-effective and help protect the environment,” he noted.
New developments in neutron diffraction technology will also be showcased at the conference. These tools can be used to accurately assess the condition of cultural relics in ways that other forms of radiation cannot.
Radiation technologies are used to meet a range of challenges today. They can help make processes more cost effective and are often safer for the environment than other methods. Their use can also help boost economic and industrial development.
“Radiation technologies can contribute to alleviating emerging environmental challenges, and they can help us ensure a sustainable future, particularly in low and middle income countries,” said Sunil Sabharwal, an IAEA radiation processing specialist. “As these tools continue to develop and evolve, there will be new possibilities for how we can use them. The ICARST conference is a way for us to take a comprehensive look at the field and where it’s headed, helping us to chart out new ways to benefit from these tools in the future.”
It’s an opportunity for specialists to explore the untapped potential of radiation technologies.
