Radio-isotope Geochemistry Lab | Department of Environment, Planning and Sustainability

Head of the lab: Prof. Yishai Weinstein

Manager of the lab: Ms. Mor Feldman

‪The Isotope Geochemistry lab is making use of various isotopes of the U-Th radioactive series to track and study natural processes, as well as anthropogenic-induced effects, in the environment. The environmental settings studied in the lab include coastal and offshore marine settings, lakes, estuarine rivers and aquifer groundwater, as well as permafrost (frozen soil). The lab currently serves 4 Ph.D. and 3 M.A. students, who are being assisted by a lab manager and another research assistant.

The lab is equipped with various detectors for the analysis of radium, radon and thorium isotopes, as well as other radionuclides. This includes the following:

(1) ultra-low background Liquid Scintillation Counter QUANTULUS 1220;

(2) emanation system, connected to 6 detectors and Lucas cells (for the high precision measurement of radon and 226Ra);

(3) 2 RAD7 (for 222Rn and 220Rn measurement) with a RAD-AQUA and RAD-H2O applications;

(4) 4-channel Radium DeCC (Delayed Coincidence Counter, for the measurement of the short-lived radium isotopes, 224Ra, 223Ra, as well as 228Th and 228Ra);

(5) ultra-low background well-type HPGe gamma-spectrometer;

The lab is equipped with a variety of marine and groundwater monitoring instruments, including 10 seepage meters, several Drive Point Piezometers, an Argonaut SW Doppler current meter profiler (SonTek), 2 conductivity meters and pH meter. The lab also owns a 4.2 m Bombard rubber boat with a 15 HP engine.