Forensic Science and Environmental Monitoring

Providing critical data to stakeholders

Our multidisciplinary research teams tackle national security challenges that make our world safer, supporting efforts to prevent potentially catastrophic incidents involving radiological or nuclear materials. They also monitor the release and movement of anthropogenic isotopes, and they develop strategies to mitigate the impact of environmental contamination caused by human activities. In addition, they help law enforcement agencies solve crimes.

They use LLNL’s accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) capabilities at CAMS to provide critical data to decision makers—isotopic clues regarding the origins of radioactive material, detonated devices, or illegally trafficked biobased material. These highly sensitive AMS analytical techniques measure extremely low isotope ratios, exploiting isotopic signatures that would otherwise be undetectable. The signatures help investigators detect illegal trafficking of radioactive material, determine the cause and intended purpose of a device detonation, or monitor radionuclides in the environment.