The Laboratory of Radiochemistry at Bern University and the Paul Scherrer Institute

Abstract

Radiochemical research in Switzerland is pursued in a laboratory jointly financed by Bern University and the Paul Scherrer Institute. Presently, four groups – one at Bern University and three at the Paul Scherrer Institute – perform basic research in heavy element chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, paleoatmospheric studies, and geochemistry. While the first topic resembles frontier research in radiochemistry, the latter three activities involve the use of radiotracers in several environmental research fields. Most of the experiments require access to the accelerator systems and the spallation neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Some recent results of the four groups are summarized. They include the first ever chemical study of hassium (element 108), the application of the positron emitter ¹³N for atmospheric studies, the reconstruction of the pollution history over Europe and some radioanalytical studies with meteorites.