Radiochemistry

The presence of radioactive contamination in healthcare and industrial environments can pose significant risks to human and environmental safety.
Nuclear Medicine departments, radiopharmacy laboratories, decommissioned industrial sites, and areas subject to waste disposal may require comprehensive radiological monitoring to identify possible contamination and ensure compliance with current regulations.

LB Servizi offers advanced solutions for environmental monitoring, providing detailed analyses to identify and quantify radionuclides present in the environment.
Our approach integrates cutting-edge measurement technologies with specialized expertise to deliver precise and reliable assessments.

Thanks to extensive experience in the sector, LB Servizi positions itself as a leading company, offering design, planning, operational interventions, precise measurements, and timely analyses.
This is made possible by combining advanced technologies with ACCREDIA-accredited analytical processes (UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018), all managed by highly qualified professionals with, in some cases, decades of experience.

LB Servizi meets all requirements for recognition as both a National Measuring Body and a Dosimetry Service, according to former Article 155 of Legislative Decree 101/2020.

The Importance of Environmental Monitoring

Sources of radioactive contamination are diverse and can arise from various industrial and healthcare activities.
The use of radioisotopes for medical and industrial applications has led to the production and commercialization of numerous devices containing radioactive materials, which have not always been properly disposed of.

Additionally, industrial processing of materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides can generate residues and effluents with elevated radioactivity levels, representing potential environmental and radiological risks.

Identifying the radionuclides involved and determining their physical state (solid, liquid, or gaseous) are essential elements in conducting a proper radiological assessment.
These factors directly affect sampling procedures, the selection of measurement techniques, and the criteria used to evaluate results.

LB Servizi: Tailored Solutions for Environmental Monitoring

With a team of highly qualified experts and advanced instrumentation, LB Servizi provides a complete environmental monitoring service, fully adaptable to the specific needs of each site.
Our services include:

• Definition of the sampling plan: Development of a targeted strategy for sample collection based on the characteristics of the site and the type of suspected contamination.

• Radiological monitoring planning: Selection of the most appropriate analytical techniques to ensure reliable results that comply with regulatory standards.

• Field measurements and ACCREDIA-accredited laboratory analyses: Use of state-of-the-art detection instruments for analyzing radionuclides present in the environment.

• Evaluation of contamination level: Preparation of a detailed report on the presence and distribution of radioactivity within the investigated site.

• Dosimetric assessment for workers and the public: Evaluation of radiation exposure to ensure compliance with established safety limits.

• Design of monitoring networks: Development of continuous monitoring systems to ensure ongoing control over potential radioactive contamination.

• Support in relations with Competent Authorities: Assistance with administrative procedures and communication with regulatory bodies.

Alpha spectrometry is one of the most advanced and sensitive analytical techniques for identifying and quantifying alpha-emitting radionuclides, even at extremely low concentrations, ensuring detailed and reliable monitoring.

Measurement Techniques and Applications

The analysis of alpha-emitting radioactivity requires complex preparation processes, including chemical extraction and separation of the isotopes of interest.
Depending on analytical needs, LB Servizi employs radiochemical methods developed in its laboratories, in compliance with international standards and the practices adopted by major European analytical centers.

Alpha spectrometry enables the selective detection of alpha-emitting radionuclides, including:

• Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po)
• Radium-226 (²²⁶Ra)
• Uranium-238 (²³⁸U)
• Plutonium-239/240 (²³⁹/²⁴⁰Pu)
• and other radionuclides of radiological interest.

Advantages

• Extreme sensitivity, with the capability to detect trace levels of alpha-emitting radionuclides.
• High reliability, thanks to accredited analytical methods that comply with international standards.
• Wide applicability, suitable for environmental, healthcare, and industrial contexts.
• Support for radiological safety, providing detailed analyses for the assessment of risks associated with alpha contamination.

LB Servizi ensures continuous optimization, improvement, and updating of its measurement methods and techniques, adopting the best technical-scientific approaches and guaranteeing ongoing expansion of the list of ACCREDIA-accredited analytical tests.

 Check the full list of ACCREDIA-accredited tests performed by the LB Servizi Laboratory.

To obtain precise and regulation-compliant results, samples intended for measurement must undergo specific radiochemical treatment.
This process allows the separation and isolation of the radionuclides of interest, improving measurement accuracy and reducing environmental interferences.

LB Servizi offers a complete and state-of-the-art service for liquid scintillation counting, ensuring:

• Analysis of smear tests, to detect the presence of tritium (³H) in workplaces and industrial laboratories.
• Measurements on cement and soil, enabling detection of radionuclides such as ³H, ⁵⁵Fe, ⁶³Ni, ⁹⁰Sr.
• ACCREDIA-accredited analyses for determining radioactivity in water intended for human consumption, ensuring compliance with legal limits (ref. Legislative Decree 28/2016).

LB Servizi guarantees continuous optimization, improvement and updating of its measurement methods and techniques, ensuring the best scientific and technical approach and a constant expansion of the list of ACCREDIA-accredited tests.

Service Advantages

To ensure reliable results and rapid turnaround times, LB Servizi uses ultra-low-background instrumentation, designed to minimize background noise and enhance measurement sensitivity.
The adoption of next-generation technologies enables the acquisition of high-quality data, essential for radiological risk assessment.

Thanks to the combination of specialist experience and precision equipment, our liquid scintillation service offers:

• Maximum sensitivity and precision, with extremely low detection limits.
• Fast analyses compliant with legal standards, reducing waiting times for results.
• Technical support and personalized consultancy, ensuring optimal management of radiological issues.

The increase in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from fossil sources is one of the main drivers of climate change and global warming.

The combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas releases fossil-derived CO₂ into the atmosphere, altering the natural carbon cycle and intensifying the greenhouse effect.
Accurately monitoring and certifying non-renewable CO₂ emissions is essential for companies aiming to reduce their environmental impact and improve energy efficiency.

Today, the transition toward a more sustainable economy rewards companies that invest in low-carbon solutions.
In this context, measuring the biobased carbon content becomes a key element in enhancing product value, improving emissions transparency, and gaining access to incentives aimed at reducing environmental footprint.

The Importance of Biobased Material Certification

The growing focus on renewable resources has led to the widespread adoption of bio-derived materials such as biofuels and bioplastics, which represent sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil-based materials.
For companies, certifying biobased products means providing greater transparency and credibility to markets and consumers.

In the industrial sector, the use of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) is increasingly common.
This fuel—obtained from non-hazardous municipal and special waste—is used in cement factories, waste-to-energy plants, and district heating systems.
However, compliance with CO₂ emission regulations and access to incentives require distinguishing the biobased fraction from the fossil fraction within the emissions generated by these plants.

The Leadership of LB Servizi

Thanks to its extensive expertise and the use of advanced technologies, LB Servizi per le Aziende S.r.l. is the first Italian company accredited by ACCREDIA for certifying biobased carbon content according to the following standards:

• ISO 21644:2021 – Biomass Content in SRF
• UNI EN 16640:2017 – Determination of Biobased Carbon Content

This certification allows companies to scientifically demonstrate the percentage of renewable carbon in their products, ensuring full transparency for clients and regulatory bodies.

Advanced Technology for Measuring Biobased Carbon

LB Servizi uses advanced radiochemical treatment techniques and liquid scintillation counting to precisely quantify ¹⁴C content in analyzed samples.
This method makes it possible to distinguish between fossil carbon and biobased carbon, because:

• Fossil carbon contains no radioactive ¹⁴C, as the isotope has completely decayed over geological time.
• Biobased carbon contains a measurable amount of ¹⁴C, as it is continuously renewed in the atmosphere through the natural carbon cycle.

Thanks to this methodology, LB Servizi can certify the biobased carbon content in solid samples, liquid samples, and SRF, offering companies an effective tool to demonstrate their sustainability and commitment to environmental regulations.