Is radiochemistry in danger of collapse?
Retirement and lack of political will is creating a shortfall in skilled scientists
The radiochemistry pipeline has been leaking for several years. This is problematic since senior scientists who were introduced to the field in the 1970s are reaching retirement age and there is a lack of new blood to replace them. The ‘nuclear renaissance’, initiated around the turn of the 21st century and a potentially viable means to recruit young scientists, has also effectively stalled due to the abundance of cheap natural gas, the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan and the advance of renewable energy sources. In addition, major research projects that generate much of the world’s supply of heavy elements face an uncertain future. The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US, is one of the main sources of actinides in the world. While HFIR will continue operating until at least 2040, there is no guarantee it will be replaced. These signatures suggest the field of radiochemistry, particularly actinide radiochemistry, is faltering.