Radiochemistry Program
The NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL) Radiochemistry Program is responsible for analyzing environmental samples of air, water, soil, sand, sediment, vegetation, milk, fish, lobster, mussels, atmospheric particulate material, and direct gamma radiation levels obtained from various sites within New Hampshire.
The Radiological Program provides the following services:
- Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (REMP): Provide laboratory testing as part of the continual environmental monitoring program at DHHS for two nuclear facilities: Seabrook Nuclear Power Station (located in the town of Seabrook on the east coast) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (located in Kittery, Maine bordering Portsmouth on the east coast). An estimated 10,000 measurements are performed on 1,300 samples every year.
- Radiological Emergency Response Program (RERP): Provide laboratory testing in the event of an accidental release from nuclear power plant, or from incidents involving radiological materials, food or land contaminations or terrorism-related events. NH PHL staff train, drill, and exercise to prepare for such events.
- U.S. EPA RadNet Program: New Hampshire also participates in a system for daily monitoring of air samples through an electronic radiological surveillance system called RadNet. This is part of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nationwide continual radiation monitoring network system for the nation's air, drinking water, milk, and precipitation. These systems enable the State's public health and emergency management agencies to have an independent source of data regarding radiation levels and to detect any radiation levels above normal "background" levels. NH PHL staff collect samples weekly from two RadNet sites in New Hampshire.