ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
First astatine-labeled compound shipped in the U.S.
The Department of Energy’s National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) on March 31 announced the successful long-distance shipment in the United States of a biologically active compound labeled with the medical radioisotope astatine-211 (At-211). Because previous shipments have included only the “bare” isotope, the NIDC has described the development as “unleashing medical innovation.”
Chantal Medri (NWMO), Glen Bird (GBird Environmental Ltd)
Proceedings | 16th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference (IHLRWM 2017) | Charlotte, NC, April 9-13, 2017 | Pages 113-120
The basis for assessing the potential postclosure radiological impacts of a deep geological repository on non-human biota has been evolving, particularly with the development of new data. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has developed an updated model and dataset consistent with current international practice (Ref. 1). This paper describes the application of the updated non-human biota dose model, using as a basis the calculated environmental media concentration outputs from recent NWMO postclosure safety assessments for hypothetical crystalline and sedimentary rock sites (Ref. 2).
Two analysis cases were selected from each of the postclosure safety assessments - a Normal Evolution Scenario and a Disruptive Event Scenario. Results are generated using two methods of modelling the partitioning behavior of radionuclides - Concentration Ratios and Transfer Factors. The results are compared with two sets of criteria - Screening Criteria and Acceptance Criteria.
Conclusions are drawn for both hypothetical sites and these would need to be repeated for any real candidate site. However, the results illustrate the methodology, provide information on the nature and importance of the various pathways, and are consistent with prior conclusions that an appropriately sited deep geologic repository should have no long-term detrimental impact on biota populations around the site.
