Kinectrics specializes in CUSTOM analysis of UNUSUAL samples, including RADIOACTIVE SAMPLES.

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Services to Meet a Growing Challenge

Environmental and plant chemistry laboratories play a critical role in meeting the increasing pressure to optimize plant operations and achieve regulatory compliance. Kinectrics Inc. provides a wealth of experience in chemical measurements for utilities and others in support of operations, environmental, and health and safety issues.

Kinectrics provides complete environmental, radiochemistry, organic and inorganic laboratory services. We offer a wide range of specialized equipment not readily available in other laboratories to deal with routine, as well as specialized analyses. We manage projects related to specific chemical measurements, and assist others in laboratory qualification and training. Characterization and qualification of materials, including insulating and lubricating fluids and radioactive materials, is our specialty.

In-depth expertise and experience

Broad-based capabilities:

• Characterization and identification of all types of materials
• Qualification of materials for specific applications and regulatory compliance
• Troubleshooting for cause of failure (toxicity, filter clogging, mercury relay failures)
• Lube & insulating oil testing and diagnostics for equipment and fluid condition
• Blind and round-robin programs geared to generation plant laboratories
• Routine testing services, environmental, insulating and lubricating fluids, PCB and others
• Special investigations (mercury lamp burst tests, Hg relay and other failures, insulation thermal degradation, properties lubricating and insulating fluids)
• Set up of equipment, test methods and quality protocols
• Laboratory accreditation and operational review services

Services for the nuclear industry:

• Waste characterization for shipping and incineration
• Development of scaling factors
• Characterization of steam generator deposits
• On-site support for boiler chemical cleans
• Characterization of PWR cladding deposits
• Material qualification
• Characterization of unknown deposits and materials
• Laboratory qualification for ISO 17025
• Installation of instruments and on-site training on specific methodologies
• Isotope ratios for neutron absorbers

Qualified staff

Kinectrics’ highly qualified laboratory personnel consists of a number of highly qualified scientists and technicians. Scientists typically hold doctoral degrees in chemistry, and have 20 years experience in chemical measurements relating to the utility, and many other major industries.

Advanced laboratory facilities

Kinectrics Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is a new facility designed and built to handle non-active as well as radioactive materials. Adaptable workstations and specifically segregated areas for different work activities (e.g. sample preparation, counting or measurement, waste handling) ensure efficiency and prevent cross contamination. Radiochemical measurements on inactive samples, as well as conventional measurements on radioactive materials, can be performed.

Wide range of measuring instruments

Radiochemistry:

• Gamma spectrometer with hyperpure germanium detector coupled with commercial software.
• Liquid scintillation counters.
• Alpha spectrometer.
• Low level beta counter.
• Access to neutron activation

Conventional Instruments:

• X-ray fluorometer (Oxford). This unit can handle samples up to 2mR/h without saturating the detector. Elements with atomic number >11 can be determined.
• X-ray diffractometer (Philips). Samples with activity ~10mR/h can be analyzed. ICDD database is used for phase identification.
• ICP-MS (PE-Sciex) Elan 6100. Most elements present in a reactor environment can be measured. Can determine highly active samples (~100mR/h).
• ICP-AES for conventional metals analysis. Atomic absorption and graphite furnace instruments.
• Several gas and liquid chromatographs including ion chromatographs.
• Conventional and continuous flow colorimetric instruments.
• Full capability for characterization of insulating and lubricating fluids including wear metals analyzer.

Accreditation, licensing and documentation

Kinectrics’ laboratory is licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and can handle samples with activity with medium gamma fields (~100mR/h). Kinectrics is accredited by The Standards Council of Canada for many environmental tests, including radiochemical tests. Kinectrics maintains valid permits for environmental, and other tests under CAEAL/SCC and 10CFR50 App B. Kinectrics is registered under the ISO 9001 quality system and uses Beckman’s Laboratory Information Management System to ensure full compliance with audit trail requirements and, to permit easy retrieval of historical data.

For more information, contact:

Husain Mehdi, 416.207.6000 x6987,  husain.mehdi@kinectrics.com or Otto Hermann, 416.207.6000 x6262, otto.herrmann@kinectrics.com

Related links:

Lab Quality & Procedures

Characterization of Materials

Laboratory Characterization of Steam Generator... Deposits

Petroleum Products Group Testing

Radioactive Waste Characterization