The radioactivity of foodstuffs is monitored by the federal authorities and the cantonal laboratories. The most frequently used analytical methods are gamma spectrometry and analysis of tritium and strontium-90.
Step 1: Collection
3 to 5 liters of milk are collected from various farms or central dairies.
Step 2 : Conditioning
The milk is frozen and then lyophilized. This process produces powdered milk, concentrating most radionuclides in the dry matter and tritium in the extracted water.
Step 4 : Evaluation & publication
Results are evaluated, stored in the laboratory database and published on Radenviro.ch.
Step 3: Measurements
By means of gamma spectrometry, certain radioactive elements, such as cesium-137, iodine-131 or potassium-40, can be identified by measuring the energy of the gamma rays they emit. Tritium can be identified in the extracted water with liquid scintillation measurements, while the measurement of strontium-90 requires more complex techniques..
![Infographie Lait anglais](https://www.radenviro.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/infographie_LAIT_600_EN-1.png)
Step 1: Collection
![](https://www.radenviro.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/man-milking-milk-cow-farming-300x206.jpg)
3 to 5 liters of milk are collected from various farms or central dairies.
Step 2 : Conditioning
![](https://www.radenviro.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/powdered-milk-portion-granulated-milk-powder-300x200.jpg)
The milk is frozen and then lyophilized. This process produces powdered milk, concentrating most radionuclides in the dry matter and tritium in the extracted water.
Step 4 : Evaluation & publication
![](https://www.radenviro.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/carte_suisse_radenviro_lait_fr-300x206.png)
Results are evaluated, stored in the laboratory database and published on Radenviro.ch.
Step 3: Measurements
![](https://www.radenviro.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/compteurs_1-300x212.png)
By means of gamma spectrometry, certain radioactive elements, such as cesium-137, iodine-131 or potassium-40, can be identified by measuring the energy of the gamma rays they emit. Tritium can be identified in the extracted water with liquid scintillation measurements, while the measurement of strontium-90 requires more complex techniques..
Comments
Radenviro is open to a respectful online dialogue and welcomes comments and questions. We encourage you to respect our netiquette.
Please note that there is no right to post a comment and we do not maintain any correspondence regarding the decision to post or not post a comment or question. Thank you for your understanding.