scholarly journals Set-up, optimization and first set of samples at the radiocarbon laboratory in Lebanon

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rana Baydoun ◽  
Omar Samad ◽  
Maria Aoun ◽  
Bilal Nsouli ◽  
Ghassan Younes
Keyword(s):  
Reference Materials ◽  
Liquid Scintillation ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Scintillation Counter ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Liquid Scintillation Counter ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Student’S T ◽  
Set Up

AbstractA new radiocarbon laboratory has been established recently at the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission. This laboratory consists of benzene synthesis line and a low background liquid scintillation counter, Tri-Carb 3180 TR/SL for measurements with Bismuth Germanate (BGO) guard detector. The effectiveness of the benzene line was tested firstly by preparing benzene from a wood sample after carbide and acetylene receiving. Normalization and standardization of the liquid scintillation counter was carried out, as well as the Factor of Merit (E2/B) was determined for three different counting regions. To assure accuracy and reliability of results, reference materials were used. Based on z-score and u-score evaluation, as well as Student’s t-test, acceptable data were obtained from travertine and wood samples available through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA-C2 and IAEA-C5), and humic acid (U) and murex shell (R) from the Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI). After that, a preliminary study was done, which is the base for future research in order to assess the anthropogenic impact and degree of environmental pollution in terms of radiocarbon isotope ratio (Δ14C) deduced from the Percent Modern Carbon or PMC. This work represents the results of four reference materials and those of five green grass samples. The Δ14C of green grass samples collected from two different clean zones were found to be 50‰ and 52‰, while the values of those collected from different polluted zones were 23‰, 7‰ and 15‰.

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2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Turchetti
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Peace Treaty ◽  
Research Committee ◽  
Energy Field ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The U.S

After World War II had ended, Italy, not unlike other developed countries, held the ambition to establish an atomic energy program. The Peace Treaty of 1947 forbade its administration from seeking to acquire atomic weaponry, but in 1952 a national research committee was set up to explore the peaceful uses of atomic energy, in particular with regard to building nuclear reactors. One of the committee’s goals was to use nuclear power to make the country less reliant on foreign energy provisions. Yet, this paper reveals that the atomic energy project resulted in actually increasing Italy’s dependence on overseas assistance. I explain the reasons for this outcome by looking at the unfolding of U.S.–Italy relations and the offers of collaboration in the atomic energy field put forth by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. I argue that these offers undermined plans to shape the nuclear program as its Italian architects had envisioned, caused them to reconsider the goal of self-sufficiency in energy provisioning, and reconfigured the project to be amenable to the security and economic priorities of the U.S. administration. In this way, I conclude, the path for the Italian project to “de-develop” was set.

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