UNIVERSITY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTATION CENTRE (USIC)

University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC) was established in the academic year 1992-93 with the financial support from UGC.  Presently, USIC is functioning at Level - I and provides Central Analytical Facility through sophisticated analytical equipment and servicing/repairing facilities for the instruments used for  teaching and research in various departments of  the University and  colleges affiliated to it. Small gadgets required for the research studies are also fabricated in USIC. Training programmes for university and college teachers on maintenance of instruments are conducted in collaboration with Western Instrumentation Centre (WRIC) Mumbai. Major Research project has been sanctioned by BRNS, DAE to the Centre.  The Centre has also initiated R & D programmes and interaction with industry in collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai in the field of Radioisotope Applications in Industry for troubleshooting and process optimization.

Teaching Staff

Name

  Designation

Qualification

Dr H M Somashekarappa

Reader and Head

M Sc, Ph D (Physics)

Dr N Karunakara

Lecturer

M Sc, M Phil, Ph D (Physics)

 

Technical Officers

Name

  Designation

Qualification

Mr A G Vivekananda

Technical Officer I

BE (Mechanical)

 

 Major Central Facilities available

Sl. No.

  Instrument

1.

High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)

2.

UV-VIS Spectrophotometer

3.

Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)

4.

Hyper Pure Germanium Gamma Spectrometer (HPGe)

5.

Alpha Guard and Accessories (Radon Monitoring Unit)

6.

Liquid Nitrogen Plant

7.

Ultra Pure Water Purification System

8.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR)

 

The services of the above facilities are also extended to researchers from other University/Institutions on payment basis.

 Workshops functioning in USIC

i.                     Electrical/Electronics Workshop

ii.                   Mechanical Workshop

iii.                  Air Condition/Refrigeration Workshop

 

Activities undertaken 

 ·                 Repairing/servicing of university instruments

·                 Repairing/servicing of college instruments

·                 Fabrication of small gadgets/instruments required for teaching and research

·                 Servicing of electric & electronic equipments and A/C units

·                 Training of teachers/technical staff on operation and maintenance of equipments

 Highlights

·               USIC has provided fabrication facility for some of the R & D work undertaken by different departments in the university.

·                 USIC is providing excellent service facility for maintaining electrical, electronic, air-conditioning machines and other equipments and also fabricating mechanical gadgets.

·                USIC has a strong University - National Laboratory (BARC) - Industry interaction programme.  Under this programme a national seminar on “Radiotracer and sealed source applications in industrial troubleshooting and process optimisation” on January 25, 2000  and a Regional Seminar on “Applications of Radiations and Radiation Technology” during November 29-30, 2007 were organised for the industries of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu region in collaboration with BARC, Mumbai. The staffs of USIC have participated along with the scientists from BARC in carrying out gamma scanning of the process column of Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) for on-line troubleshooting and the problem was accurately fixed.

Organisation of workshops/training programmes for teachers and industry

USIC has conducted the following programmes in collaboration with Western Regional Instrumentation Centre (WRIC) & BARC, Mumbai:

 ·          Training programmes for college and university teachers: One week UGC sponsored joint training programme on "Maintenance of Opto-Analytical Instruments" - in collaboration with WRIC, Mumbai for college and university teachers - was organised during September 18-23, 2000.

 ·          University - National Laboratory - Industry interaction programme: One day seminar on "Radiotracer and sealed   source applications in industrial troubleshooting and process optimisation" - in collaboration with Isotope Applications Division, BARC, Mumbai for industry people - was organised on January 25, 2000. A Regional Seminar on “Applications of Radiations and Radiation Technology” during November 29-30, 2007.

Research Activities of staff:

Sl. No.

Name

 Areas of Research

1

Dr H M Somashekarappa

Environmental Radioactivity/ Instrumentation, Industrial Applications of Radioisotopes and Industrial Radiography

2

Dr N Karunakara

Radiation Protection, Radiation Measurements and related instrumentation, application of 137Cs and 210Pb for studies on soil erosion and sedimentation rates reservoirs

    

Collaborative research programmes:

 The academic staffs of the USIC are carrying out collaborative research studies with other Universities of the country, BARC and other R&D Labs and also some of the Universities abroad (University of Botswana and Kuwait University) in the field radiation protection. Collaborative research programmes on developing different types of Nucleonic Gauges in collaboration with IAD, BARC, Mumbai are also initiated.

 Establishment of Radioisotopes Application Centre

 USIC is in the process of setting up of a “RADIOISOTPES APPLICATION CENTRE” at USIC, Mangalore University in collaboration with BARC, Mumbai. The centre would be fully equipped to undertake consultancy in the field of industrial applications of radioisotopes and radiation technology. The necessary equipments and radioisotopes required for the centre would be provided by Isotopes Application Division, BARC, Mumbai.

Renewable Energy Park:

 USIC has established a Renewable (Solar) Energy Park funded by Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources, Government of India, New Delhi.

Research Programmes:

 The Center has two active research groups concentrating mainly on radiation physics and related instrumentation.  

 1.  Area of research: Applications of radioisotopes in agriculture, medicine, pharmacy and in industry.

     The “Centre for Application of Radioisotopes and Radiation Technology (CARRT)” is being established to carry out the research works cited above in collaboration with Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) and the program is funded by Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS).

     CARRT will be functioning as a Central Facility to carry out the research work on application of radioisotopes and radiation technology and will take up the research programs in collaboration with other universities, institutes and R&D laboratories.

 The Main objectives of the Centre:

i.    To establishing the basic infrastructure required for research and to conduct research programmes of interest to Mangalore University and DAE

ii.   To train the manpower suitable to take-up R&D programmes, teaching programmes in radioisotope applications, laboratory technicians etc.

iii.   To conduct Diploma/Certificate Courses and to organize seminars, symposia, workshops and training programmes on various areas of nuclear and radiation sciences and their applications.

 Facilities being established under CARRT.

  i. Gamma Chamber (gamma irradiation facility)

 ii. Radioisotopes Laboratory

iii. Carbon-14 Labelling Laboratory

iv. Radioimmunoassay Laboratory

v.  Radioiodination Laboratory

vi. Hybridoma Laboratory

Research projects sanctioned under CARRT program:

Sl. No.

Title of the project

Principal Investigator

1

Radioiodination of C-Peptide and development of an assay

Dr K Bhaskar Shenoy

2

Epidemiological study of Helicobacter pylori infection in the communities of coastal region of Karnataka: A diagnostic study by using the 14C Urea capsule breath test and setting up of diagnostic service

Dr H M Somashekarappa

3

Evaluation and comparison of radioprotective potential of some bioflavonoids in mice exposed to gamma radiation

Prof Rajashekar K Patil

4

Application of radiation in forestry: Effect of gamma radiation on storage, viability and germination of seeds and relative growth rate and tolerance of seedlings of some endemic plants of Western Ghats

Prof K R Chandrashekar

 

Contact Address:

            Dr H M Somashekarappa

            Centre-in-Charge

            Centre for Application of Radioisotopes & Radiation Technology (CARRT)

            Mangalore University

            Mangalagangotri 574 199

            Karnataka, India

            Phone: +91 824 22287671 (O)

            Mobile: +919448836447

            Email: carrtmu@gmail.com

 

Details of research activities under Radiation protection, environmental transfer factors for radioactive and stable elements, impact assessment, radon and thoron measurements, dose assessments and related instrumentation  group

 Contact person :      Dr Karunakara N,

                                 Princiapl Investigator, NPCIL and BRNS Research Projects

                                 University Science Instrumentation Centre

                                 Mangalore University

                                 Mangalagangotri 574 199

                                 Karnataka, India

                                 Phone: +91 824 22287671 (O)

                                 Mobile: +919980775012

                                 Email: drkarunakara@gmail.com

 Areas of Research

  •        Radiation Protection, Radioecology, Radiation Protection, Environment safety and Instrumentation

  •       Studies on Transfer factors for radioactive and non radioactive elements in the environment with emphasis on transfer   factor to food chain

  •        Impact Assessment

  •        Radon and Thoron measurements, mitigation and modeling

  •        Neutron Activation Analyses

  •        Nuclear instrumentation

Ongoing research projects:

Sl. No.

Title of the project

Funding agency

Principal Investigator

Funds sanctioned

1

Study on Site Specific Environmental Transfer Factors for Radionuclides and Trace Elements in Kaiga Region

BRNS, DAE Govt. of India

Dr Karunakara. N

Rs. 36 lakhs

2

Study on Transfer Factors of Iodine, Cesium and Strontium in air® grass® cow® milk pathway and estimation of radiation dose specific to Kaiga region

N.P.C.I.L

Dr Karunakara. N

(Rs. 80.0 lakh

3

Study on baseline database on radiation level, radionuclide distribution and trace element in the Gugi Uranium mining region

BRNS, DAE Govt. of India

 

Dr Karunakara. N

(Rs. 32.00 lakhs)

4

Study of  220Rn adsorption in charcoal and oils and its application to 220Rn mitigation in off-gas stream of thorium processing facilities

BARC, DAE Govt. of India

Dr Karunakara. N

Rs. 32.00 lakhs

 

Research Facilities available:

 The centre has very good facilities for carrying out studies on Radiation protection, environmental transfer factors, radon and thoron measurements and low level radiation detection environmental samples.

 Radon and thoron laboratories:     

The radon and thoron laboratories has following facilities

AlphaGuard PQ-2000PRO along with accessories such as soil gas probe, alpha pump, Datagate, aquatic, progeny WL monitor, etc., 

LLRDS,

Emanometry setup and Scintillation counting set up,

Radon, thoron and progeny dosimeters

 

                                                  A view of radon laboratory

 2.             Low background Gamma spectrometry laboratory

           The following instruments are available in the gamma spectrometry laboratory :

(i).     Low background 43% relative efficiency n-type HPGe detector,  DSA-1000 along with GENIE-2000 software (Canberra, USA)

(ii).    Low background p-type broad energy band HPGe detector with NIM-BIN based electronics DSA-1000 along with GENIE-2000 software (Canberra, USA)

(iii).   Low background Well type NaI(Tl) gamma spectrometer.

(iv).   Laser Fluorimeter (nitrogen laser based) for uranium analyses

 A view of Low background 43% relative efficiency n-type HPGe gamma spectrometer

 

  

A view of Low background 35% nominal efficiency p-type broad energy band HPGe gamma spectrometer

IERMON Station – Partner in national monitoring network

The laboratory is also working as a regional center for the Indian Environmental Radiation Monitoring Network (IERMON) programme.  Under this programme a continuous radiation monitoring station is installed in the laboratory. This monitoring station measures radioactivity and radiation levels in the environment continuously. Under this national network programme 50 such systems are installed throughout the country and all are interlinked through satellite. The system is solar powered and works throughout the year. BARC is the nodal center for this programme.

  

                                                                   A view of the IEROMN station

 Stable elements measurement laboratory:

           The following instruments are available in the Stable elements measurement laboratory:

 1.                  GF-AAS and Flame type Atomic Absorption Spectrometer with autosampler 

2.                  Microwave digestion system  (Milestone, Italy) with 10 teflon vessels (100 bar pressure, 300°C temperature)  for digestion of environmental samples

 Environmental Chamber for experiments on transfer factors under simulated condition

An environmental chamber (which is very much essential for laboratory experiments on transfer factors) was designed and installed in the laboratory for exposing grass grown in pots to different concentrations of iodine, caesium and strontium for studying transfer of radionuclides under simulated condition of accidental release of radioactivity.  The environmental chamber has a working area of 2 m x 2 m x 2 m and has facility for controlling the atmospheric parameters, such as, temperature and humidity. Facility for exposing the plants grown in pots to controlled levels of radionuclides/stable elements, with particular reference to Iodine, Cesium and Strontium. Provision for varying the temperature (2-65°C), humidity & Rain fall simulation, Provision for measuring light intensity with different ports for continuous air monitoring. Entire system is stainless steel with inside working area provided with 304 Gr. food grade stainless steel.  With this system transfer factor studies can be conducted simulating environmental conditions of any of the nuclear power plants of India.

 

A view of the environmental chamber with grass grow under simulated condition

   

 A view of grass exposed to iodine under simulated rainfall condition in the environmental chamber

 Research Papers Published

          National & International Journals                                     :    38

          Refereed National /International Seminars/conferences    :    60

          Presented in Seminar/symposia/workshop                       :    16

          Total number of publications                                           :    114

          Editing the proceedings of the conference                        :    1

 

National and International collaborative research programmes:

 The radiation protection group is engaged in collaborative research programmes with the following institutions and national laboratories of the country and abroad:

 ·           Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai

·           Indira Ghandi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam

·           Environmental Survey Laboratory, Kaiga

·           Several other Universities of the country

·           University of Botswana, Botswana

·           College of Technology, Kuwait

·           Texas A&M University, USA