Bertin Technologies, a European industrial group specializing in instrumentation for critical and scientific applications, announces the acquisition of Czech company VF Nuclear,
manufacturer of radiation protection and monitoring systems. Thanks to this strategic acquisition, the Group becomes a worldwide leader in nuclear measurement.

Founded in 1992 and based in Cerna Hora near Brno, VF Nuclear is a company at the cutting edge of technology and services in the field of radiation protection and radiological
measurement. The company designs, develops, produces, installs and maintains high-performance, highly reliable radiation monitoring systems, capable of withstanding
harsh operating conditions. VF Nuclear is one of the few manufacturers and suppliers in the field capable of maintaining these systems, installed at the heart of nuclear power plants, and thus guaranteeing their performance over the long term. 

Its product portfolio is highly complementary to that of Bertin Technologies. With solid experience in the development and qualification of safety-classified radiological measurement equipment, enabling continuous monitoring of radiation levels for nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Together, Bertin Technologies and VF Nuclear will be in a unique position in Europe and will be able to propose a full compliant portfolio of radiation detection equipment for Health Physics and Nuclear Safety. 

With its 208 employees, 1/3 of whom are seconded directly to the Czech nuclear power plants of Dukovany and Temelin, and the Slovak nuclear power plants of Mochovce and
Jaslovské Bohunice, VF Nuclear will become "Bertin VF Nuclear", a subsidiary of the Bertin Technologies group, at the start of 2025.

"We have been working with VF Nuclear for a long time and are delighted to welcome our new Czech colleagues to join the Bertin Technologies adventure. Our ambition is to build in Czech Republic and in France the European biggest reference center for radiation detection, essential to nuclear industry sovereignty. With this acquisition, we will be confirming our ability to support the decarbonized energy production and environmental protection sectors," emphasizes Bruno Vallayer, President of Bertin Technologies.

"We are pleased that VF Nuclear will become a part of the European Group Bertin Technologies, where we will be able to offer our reliable and safe products and services to
a wider range of customers in the EU and around the world ", adds Jiří Malysák, Director of VF Nuclear.

Originally published by TASS

On-duty shifts of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's crisis response center rehearsed joint measures in case of sabotage at critical infrastructure or incidents on state border of one of its member states, CSTO Joint Staff Press Secretary Vladislav Shchegrikovich told TASS.

"On December 20, a joint training exercise was held for on-duty shifts of the CSTO crisis response centre, command posts of defense ministries and emergency situations ministries of the organization's member states," he said. "It was attended by video link by representatives of the CSTO crisis response center, the command post of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Belarus, the National Defense Management Center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Crisis Response Center of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation, the command post of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as the duty officers of shifts of emergency situations ministries of the organization's member states."

"The rehearsal during the exercise included joint actions of on-duty shifts after detection of sabotage at critical infrastructure, and during incidents on the state border of one of the CSTO member states," Shchegrikovich went on to say.

"According to the script of the joint training, a site suffered an emergency situation following a major spill of a chemically hazardous substance in a terrorist act, with a cleanup effort involving urgent deployment of rescue teams," he said. "The deputy head of the CSTO Crisis Response Center, Colonel Yevgeny Chernousov, when summarizing the results of the drills, noted that the on-duty shifts successfully handled all the inputs and interaction issues required in crisis (emergency) situations.

Orginally published in the New American 

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) released an event notification report on December 13 announcing that a radioactive pin source was reported missing on December 3. (A “pin source” is a tiny radioactive “pin” used for calibrating medical-imaging scanners.)

The Germanium-68 (Ge-68) waste material was being transported for disposal, and went missing while in transit in Newfield, New Jersey. “The shipping container arrived at its destination damaged and empty,” noted the report. In its notification to the NRC, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) stated:

The licensee reported to NJDEP on December 3, 2024, that a Ge-68 pin source that they sent for disposal [was] lost in transit on December 2, 2024. The source is [an] Eckert & Ziegler model HEGL-0132, with current approximate activity of 0.267 mCi. The shipping container arrived at its destination damaged and empty. The licensee has filed a claim with the shipper. If the source is not located within the 30 days, the licensee will follow-up with a full written report to include root cause(s) and corrective actions.

The event report said the missing material contained a very small amount of radioactive material. “This material event contains a ‘less than Cat3’ level of radioactive material,” it stated: 

Sources that are “Less than IAEA Category 3 sources,” are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury.

The pin was used to calibrate PET/CT scanners, and was used at the Nazha Cancer Center in New Jersey. The NRC notification stated the event was reportable under 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii):

Within 30 days after the occurrence of any lost, stolen, or missing licensed material becomes known to the licensee, all licensed material in a quantity greater than 10 times the quantity specified in appendix C to part 20 that is still missing at this time [must be reported to the NRC].

March 11-12, 2025, at the National Housing Center, Washington, D.C., the 13^th Annual Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium will explore efforts and strategies to address and mitigate current and emerging CBRN threats and challenges. The event is designed to foster collaboration and innovation in CBRN defense, bringing together experts, innovators, and leaders from government, military, academia, and industry to share insights, strategies, and best practices in CBRN defense, preparedness, and response.

Full information about the event can be found on the symposium's website here https://cbrn.dsigroup.org/

To register click here

Topics to be covered

• Meeting the Challenges of an Evolving WMD & CBRN Threat Landscape
• Driving Warfighter resilience & success in CBRN contested environments
• Enabling a resilient joint force to fight & win in any CBRN environment
• Effectively addressing nuclear security to bolster domestic & global safety & security
• Providing innovative & effective CBRNE defense solutions
• Local response: protecting major cities from CBRN events
• Impact of AI on CBRN threats
• Advancing innovative solutions to address gaps in public health & national security preparedness

Why you should attend this symposium

The global chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) security market was valued at $18.7 billion in 2023, and is expected to increase to $29.9 billion by 2033. The rise in global terrorism, ongoing geopolitical tensions and increasing threats of an accidental or intentional CBRN attack on the U.S is driving the demand for advanced CBRN security solutions. Technological innovation and whole-of-government collaboration is critical to bolster readiness and response capabilities in the event of a CBRN event. Attendees will gain valuable insights from across the CBRN defense community into the continued development of capabilities to prepare and protect against current and emerging CBRN threats.

The 2025 event will convene senior level experts, innovators, and leaders from across the federal government, military, state and local entities, industry, and academia to explore effective CBRN incident detection, protection, and recovery strategies. Event discussions will focus on emerging detection, monitoring, and decontamination technologies, preparedness and emergency response planning, threats and challenges in the CBRN community, public health and safety implications, training and education, and interagency collaboration and partnership.  The symposium will also feature panels on strengthening homeland defense against CBRN threats and protecting major cities from a local responder perspective. Attendees at the 2025 Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium will have the unique opportunity to hear from key decision makers and subject matter experts on current and emerging CBRN threats and critical strategies to counter and defend against them.

DSI’s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Symposium’s content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds in the CBRN defense community as well as key policy makers across military and civilian offices for critical discussions on challenges of countering CBRN threats. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers.

Argon Electronics have once again expanded their range of simulation accessories by creating the simulation FHZ612 extension radiation probe for use with the popular and effective FH 40 G-SIM.

Based upon the Thermofisher Scientific FH40 TG Teleprobe mounted with a FHZ612 detector, the FHZ612-SIM can be used with Argon’s FH40 G SIM and Thermofisher’s FH 40 TG Telescopic pole. It can be used to create a training system for the effective use of the Teleprobe, ensuring personnel understand the correct, safe and effective use of this important instrument.

Users can deploy our safe, environmentally friendly simulation radiological sources so that shielding prevents the mounted FH40G-SIM with its integral simulated sensor from obtaining full exposure to the simulation source, whilst the simulation FHZ612 detector mounted at the end of the extendable Teleprobe receives the full unshielded dose rate exposure. Both measurements are indicated on the FH 40 G-SIM display, allowing the trainee to appreciate the difference in dose rate at the two locations, and the importance of the use of shielding / maintaining a distance from a radioactive source.

Furthermore, as the FH40 G-SIM and FHZ612-SIM are compatible with Thermofisher’s Teleprobe, users can utilise their existing Teleprobe for a cost-effective training solution.

Steven Pike, Argon Founder and Managing Director, said: “I am thrilled with how effectively this simulator probe enhances training in the use of this important piece of equipment. Nuclear power station customer feedback from initial trials has been outstanding.”

Argon's environmentally friendly, safe radiation training systems use simulated radionuclide emitters, enabling a variety of indoor and outdoor scenarios for Beta/Gamma search and survey, radionuclide identification, contamination monitoring, and dose rate assessment.

Argon’s simulators are easy to use and require no preventative maintenance or regular calibration. Used alone or integrated with our Live or Virtual training solutions, users can create and repeat a wide variety of safe, “regulation free” scenarios to fulfil their radiological hazard training needs.

OPCW report confirms presence of the toxic chemical 2-Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile, known as CS, related to an alleged incident that took place along confrontation lines in Dnipropetrovsk region on 20 September 2024

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—18 November 2024— Today, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has transmitted to Ukraine its report on a Technical Assistance Visit (TAV) following an alleged incident of use of toxic chemicals as a weapon.   

Upon Ukraine’s request, under subparagraph 38(e) of Article VIII of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the OPCW Technical Secretariat deployed to Ukraine in relation to an incident that reportedly took place on 20 September 2024, along the confrontation lines between opposing forces near the village of Illinka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. 

During the mission, the team of experts from the Technical Secretariat (TAV team) collected documentation and digital files, testimonies from first-hand witnesses, and received three samples collected by Ukraine: a shell of grenade and two soil samples collected from a trench. 

Upon return to OPCW Headquarters, the samples were sent to two OPCW designated laboratories selected by the Director-General for independent analysis. This activity was carried out following OPCW procedures and in the presence of observers from the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the OPCW. 

Overall, the documentation and the evidence handed over by Ukraine to the TAV team during the visit, the content of the digital files provided, as well as the information collected and the narrative described by first-hand witnesses, enabled the TAV team to corroborate that the chain of custody of the three samples collected from a trench in Ukraine, located along the confrontation lines with the opposing troops, was maintained. 

The analyses by the OPCW designated laboratories, conducted separately and independently from one another, confirm that the grenade and soil samples collected from the trench contain the riot control agent 2-Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile known as CS. 

Under the CWC, the use of riot control agents as a method of warfare is prohibited.    

Upon receipt of the TAV report, the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the OPCW requested the same day that the Technical Secretariat declassifies and shares the full report with all States Parties to the CWC and publish it on the OPCW public website. 

The Director-General of the OPCW, Ambassador Fernando Arias, expressed grave concern over the findings, stating: “All 193 OPCW Member States, including the Russian Federation and Ukraine, have committed never to develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, transfer or use chemical weapons. States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention have declared that any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable and would violate the legal norms and standards of the international community. It is therefore important now for all States Parties to uphold the norm against chemical weapons.” He reaffirmed the Technical Secretariat’s readiness to continue assisting them through independent expertise. Director-General Arias also thanked the OPCW designated laboratories that supported the technical assistance request for their independent work and swift analysis. 

Background 

The OPCW Technical Secretariat has been monitoring the situation on the territory of Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 in relation to allegations of use of toxic chemicals as weapons.  

Both the Russian Federation and Ukraine have accused one another and reported a number of allegations of use of chemical weapons to the Organisation. 

A compendium of all official correspondence by States Parties on such allegations and accusations has been made available on the OPCW public website and is regularly updated. 

Article II, paragraph 7 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, provides that a Riot Control Agent is defined as any chemical not listed in a Schedule, which can produce rapidly, in humans, sensory irritation or disabling effects which disappear within a short time following termination of exposure. 

Under the Convention, States Parties have the obligation to declare all toxic chemical agents they hold for riot control purposes. Furthermore, the Convention explicitly prohibits the use of riot control agents as a weapon of war on the battlefield. If used as a method of warfare, these agents are considered chemical weapons and, hence, are prohibited under Article I paragraph 5 of the Convention.    

Article VIII, paragraph 38(e) of the Chemical Weapons Convention states that the Technical Secretariat shall provide technical assistance and technical evaluation to States Parties in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention, including the evaluation of scheduled and unscheduled chemicals. 

OPCW experts and designated laboratories are a lynchpin of the Organisation’s verification regime and its capacity to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use. Upon request from the Director-General, OPCW designated laboratories perform off-site analysis of chemical samples collected during OPCW deployments. They offer the necessary assurance to States Parties that chemical analyses needed to determine or to clarify issues related to such allegations are carried out competently, impartially, and with unambigious results. 

As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. 

In 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 — totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents — have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW’s strict verification regime. The Organisation continues to carry out its mandate related inter alia to non-proliferation, prevention, and use and threat of use of chemical weapons. 

For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. 

More Information 

• Report
• OPCW work related to Ukraine
• OPCW Designated Laboratories

Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, and a business of Smiths Group, today announces that its state-of-the-art IONSCAN 600 detectors will be tested by the Polish railway, PKP Group. The six-month pilot, the first in Poland, will help develop standards for future anti-terrorism and anti-sabotage systems, strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure. The equipment was loaned by the Directorate General for Home Affairs and Migration (DG HOME) of the European Commission, which initiated the project.

The IONSCAN 600 detectors will be used to assess and develop security practices for the railway system, with a particular focus on strengthening anti-terrorism and anti-sabotage measures. These detectors, which use scanning strips to identify explosives and hazardous substances, will be used in random screenings of baggage and cargo at selected train stations, on trains, and at cargo terminals. The goal is to implement security protocols similar to those already in place at airports, ensuring comprehensive protection of critical infrastructure. 

To kick off the initiative, a workshop was held at Warszawa Central station, attended by representatives from the European Commission, Smiths Detection, the Polish Police, Border Guard, Railway Security Services, and PKP Group. Live demonstrations of the IONSCAN 600’s capabilities took place at key locations, including PKP Intercity trains and the PKP CARGO Connect terminal, showcasing the effectiveness of the detectors in real-world scenarios. 

Shaping future security standards 

The European Commission and Smiths Detection will use the test to provide valuable insights to refine operational requirements for the use of these devices in the railway environment. The results will contribute to the Commission's efforts to establish standardised security protocols for railway systems across Europe. These findings will also help define the future development of anti-terrorism and anti-sabotage technologies tailored for the rail sector. 

Poland becomes the sixth country to test this technology as part of the EU’s wider railway security initiative, following similar trials in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, and Romania. The operational feedback from these tests will be instrumental in shaping future security practices and devices for the rail industry. 

Enhancing border security 

In addition to its railway testing, the IONSCAN 600 detectors will also be deployed by the Polish Border Guard at key border crossings with Ukraine and Belarus. These devices are capable of detecting both explosives and dangerous chemical substances and can identify whether an individual has come into contact with these materials or with weapons. This capability is particularly important in securing the EU’s external borders. 

Supporting the EU’s counter-terrorism strategy 

The IONSCAN 600 testing in Poland is part of the European Commission’s broader Counter-Terrorism Plan (CT Agenda), launched in 2020 to strengthen the security of public infrastructure across the EU. This project is part of a series of ongoing detection trials aimed at developing balanced security solutions in collaboration with manufacturers, operators, and law enforcement, addressing both facilitation and security concerns. This initiative aims to expand the use of advanced threat detection technologies beyond aviation, with a focus on harmonising standards for the protection of public spaces. The programme also supports the voluntary adoption of EU-wide standards for detection equipment, ensuring that technologies like the IONSCAN 600 are effective at identifying security threats while enabling the free movement of people and goods. 

Matthew Clark, VP Commercial, Smiths Detection, said of this initiative: 

"This pilot programme is a vital step toward enhancing rail safety standards, which are essential in today’s evolving threat landscape. By testing the IONSCAN 600 in real-world rail environments, we’re not only expanding the applications of our technology beyond aviation but also helping shape the future of security for critical infrastructure across Europe. Our commitment is to provide reliable, cutting-edge solutions that safeguard public spaces, and this project is a testament to that vision." 

The European Commission’s Counter-Terrorism Plan is part of an ongoing effort to bolster the EU's overall security posture. In 2019, the EU Railway Safety Platform adopted a set of best practices for rail safety, including the use of mobile detection devices for random and targeted checks. These initiatives are designed to address emerging threats and create a more secure and resilient Europe. 

Crossject, a specialty pharma company developing the award-winning needle-free ZENEO® auto-injector to deliver life-saving medicines in emergency situations, has successfully completed a human factors study under extreme stress conditions. The test, designed to simulate a chemical attack zone or a field hospital setting, included disorienting factors such as sirens and flashlights in the dark. Study participants were equipped with HAZMAT protection, including full-body CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) suits and gloves covered in soap, simulating the worst-case scenario for first responders.

All 75 untrained participants successfully activated the ZENEO® Midazolam on five adult or child mannequins simulating victims of a neurotoxin attack. The study results confirmed the usability of ZEPIZURE® rescue therapy, strongly indicating that the ZENEO® auto-injector is suitable for rapid, mass administration by untrained caregivers in extreme emergency conditions.

This study has been supported with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number 75A50122C00031.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of this HAZMAT study, which underscores again the exceptional usability of Crossject’s ZENEO® auto-injector - even when administered en masse by untrained personnel under extreme conditions,” said Patrick Alexandre, CEO of Crossject.

In an earlier human factors study performed in 2022, Crossject demonstrated high usability with the ZENEO® needle-free auto-injector among 60 untrained users across four different profiles in a simulated epileptic crisis.

Blackline Safety Corp., a global leader in connected safety technology, has released a new whitepaper entitled Navigating Radiation Risks: Key Concepts for Protecting Workers and Responders in an effort to mitigate radiation exposure for fire-hazmat and first responder teams.

Designed as a strategic playbook, the whitepaper aims to help teams assess and react to the rising threat of radiation exposure to better protect workers, the public and the environment.

“For those on the front line, such as first responders, hazmat teams, and workers in industrial fields like mining and oil and gas, there’s an increased risk of accidental exposure to dangerous levels of radiation,” said Christine Gillies, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Blackline Safety. “Quick thinking and robust emergency protocols are essential to ensure worker and community safety.”

“This whitepaper responds to a growing industry need to educate workers on the different types of radiation, early detection strategies, and approaches to address the broad spectrum of radiation risks, faster and smarter,” she said.

Key insights from the whitepaper:

· Radiation can be divided into four main categories: alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves (or gamma rays), and identified as non-ionizing or ionizing (nuclear) radiation and particle or waveform. It’s important to understand the differences to best respond to risks.

· There are two general categories where nuclear radiation can be found: naturally occurring radioactive material (to which we’re exposed simply by breathing the air around us or ingesting food and water) and artificial sources (including medical imaging such as X-rays and CT scans, nuclear energy and weapons, and dirty bombs), and each has varying effects on the body.

· Radiation is measured differently in the U.S. than internationally for the three forms of radiation measurement: radioactivity, absorbed dose, and effective dose. The U.S. measures radiation in millirems (mrem) per year, while most other countries measure radiation in millisieverts (mSv) per year. Being familiar with the different measurements enables workers to gauge overall health effects.

· Gamma radiation cannot be detected through sight or taste. Technology is needed to help determine its presence and develop policies and procedures to deal with how gamma radiation levels are monitored and what steps need to be taken in case of a radiation emergency. There are several types of gamma radiation technologies currently available, each with different uses, advantages, and disadvantages.

· While our bodies can take in nominal levels of naturally occurring gamma radiation from the surrounding environment, they are not equipped to handle increased exposure levels without incurring severe, life-long damage to our health. For those areas where gamma radiation presents risks, radiation safety plans are critical to ensure the three pillars of radiation protection – time, distance, and shielding. The use of technology plays a key role in worker and community safety, and area monitoring – such as Blackline Safety’s newly-released EXO 8 Gamma, the only direct-to-cloud area monitor capable of detecting up to eight gases and gamma radiation – has been proven effective as one of the first lines of defence.

Download the full whitepaper free of charge here.

Have you witnessed the recent surge in the spread of novel biological agents and toxins, wreaking havoc globally? The last few years have underscored the urgent need for effective detection and response measures against threats like COVID-19, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Monkeypox, and biological toxins like ricin and abrin. 

Join Proengin for an informative webinar addressing the challenging landscape of biological detection. Gain insights into sample screening, the use of trigger/cue systems, and field presumptive tests. Equip yourself with essential knowledge and strategies to effectively detect and respond to emerging biological threats. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your preparedness and response capabilities in the ever-evolving biological detection arena. 

CBRNe World: Register through CBRNe World 

Unable to attend live? Register now to receive the replay and stay ahead of the curve.

Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), announced it has been awarded a five-year, $168.3 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Army for low-rate initial production to upgrade the M1135 Stryker’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) Sensor Suite. The company also received its first delivery order,valued at $7.5 million.

Teledyne FLIR is the lead integrator in modernizing the Army’s NBCRV system with improved and autonomous chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) sensors. The company had earlier delivered initial Sensor Suite upgrade prototypes for government testing. Successful test results led to it being awarded this production contract.

Among other third-party solutions, the NBCRV Sensor Suite will feature capabilities of the FLIR Defense R80D SkyRaider™ drone integrated with FLIR’s MUVE™ B330biological detection payload designed for small unmanned aerial systems. Also, a FLIR-developed command and control system integrates all devices and platforms with sensor fusion and automation features that lessen the cognitive burden on users and improve decision-making.

“The advanced sensor capabilities on NBCRV will help protect our troops from weapons of mass destruction and enhance mission success on future battlefields,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, president of Teledyne FLIR Defense. “We’re honored to continue our work with the Army, leveraging our UAS platforms and remote sensing solutions to deliverthe NBCRV Sensor Suite.”

Work on the NBCRV program is expected to continue through 2029 at company facilities in Stillwater, Okla.; Elkridge, Md; and Tucson, Ariz. For more on Teledyne FLIR’s CBRN and explosive detection technologies, visit here.