# Radiochemistry: Analytical Track 1: Food Defense

> **NIH FDA U19** · MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH · 2020 · $248,000

## Abstract

SUMMARY: RADIOCHEMISTRY ANALYTICAL TRACK 1 (FOOD DEFENSE) 
Radioactive contamination of food can occur through rare natural phenomina, industrial accidents, or 
intentional tampering. The core tenet of this large and multifaceted proposal is to contribute a 
comprehensive and integrated food protection laboratory hub to the Food Emergency Response 
Network (FERN) that is capable of analyzing many different foods across a diversity of threat priorities. 
The capability to detect and identify a wide range of radionuclides in foods is central to our goal 
of ensuring a safe food supply. The Radiation section of MDH Laboratories Administration has been part 
of FERN for ~15 years, and currently serves as one of five national Radiochemistry CAP laboratories. 
The Radiation section now seeks to be incorporated into the current multi-faceted cooperative 
agreement. This integration will maintain, strengthen, and unify our involvement in FERN. Specifically, 
through this analytical track, the laboratory seeks to continue assessing the presence or absence of 
radioactive contamination and identifying the radionuclides present in human or animal food samples 
through screening. Currently the laboratory has the capability to detect gamma emitters (e.g. Cs-134, 
Cs-137, I-131, Co-60, Be-7), alpha emitters (e.g. Am-241, Pu-238/239, Po-210, Uranium), as well as beta 
emitters (e.g. Sr-89/90) in food matrices using alpha spectrometry, liquid scintillation counting, gas 
proportional counting, and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry technologies. The data 
generated will be reported to FERN to characterize the extent of food contamination, to follow emerging 
trends, and to calculate intakes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174019
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007084-01
- **Recipient organization:** MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** SINISA URBAN
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $248,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174019

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174019, Radiochemistry: Analytical Track 1: Food Defense (1U19FD007084-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174019. Licensed CC0.

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