First CNCP Projects in Kazakhstan

Petr Chakrov, Deputy Director of INP NNC RK, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Channels of accelerator for research and commercial application

Hot-chamber in INP, Almaty

The first visit of CNCP representatives to Kazakhstan took place in 2003. Its purpose was to make preliminary evaluation of requirements of assistance in creation of new jobs for former nuclear weapons specialists and in establishment of diversified businesses with the intent to consider the possibility of including the region in the programme. At that time, the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the National Nuclear Centre in Almaty (INP NNC RK) provoked significant interest. After reviewing the information, the programme representatives informed us that a decision would be forthcoming in a year. In exactly one year the decision was made and the representative CNCP delegation, and other participating experts, assembled at the INP in Almaty for the purpose of selecting projects most relevant to the commercialization of technologies as well as the creation of new roles for former nuclear specialists. INP presented ten projects, varying in scope, for the consideration of British experts, which include the directions:

1. radioisotopes production;
2. radio-ecology and nuclear methods of analysis;
3. new materials and equipment;
4. irradiation of materials.

The projects relevant to new materials and equipment were not chosen. Following the discussion, three projects were selected by CNCP experts as the most suitable for commercialization. They are:

• irradiation of materials: Organization of the hydrogel dressing production on the basis of electron accelerator ELV-4.
• radio-ecology and nuclear methods of analysis: Creation of the site for neutron-activation and sample analysis for Kazakhstan industries, ecology and geology.
• radioisotope production: Production of closed radioactive sources for industry and medicine.

Preliminary development of these is currently underway at INP, and new projects occupy some niches in them.

Irradiation of materials

In 2000, INP hire-purchased industrial electron accelerator ELV-4, held as a mortgage by a local bank at a low price as a virtually useless piece of metal. The purchase has justified itself: at present it is one of the most commercially successful sections of the institute. Radiation sterilization of medical items, as well as the production of roll roof material on the basis of radiation-sowed synthetic rubber, has been put into mass production. However, firstly, the loading of the powerful industrial accelerator is far from full, and secondly, the possibilities of radiation technologies extend further. After preliminary evaluation of various potential directions, it was determined that the use of accelerator production of hydrogel dressing to be the most beneficial.

Hydrogel dressing production

Hydrogel dressing (HD) is composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, agar, and water. As a result of suture under effect of accelerated beam of electrons this composition turns into gel insoluble in water - a transparent flexible jelly-like mass preserving its form and is durable enough for being used for dressing. HD is used as dressing material for treatment of superficial injuries caused by burns, firing or exploding wounds, abrasions, etc., and also for the treatment of trophic ulcer and bedsore. Hydrogel has a high absorbent feature which enables the effective removal of superfluous wound effluents from the wound surface and effective retention inside of the dressing.

All these features, in combination with simplicity of use, provided wide distribution of HD abroad. In the Republic of Kazakhstan such dressings are not produced, and are not imported due to the high prices for foreign products, although the necessity for them is estimated to be millions of pieces annually. The results of experiments demonstrated technical practicability of HD production on accelerator ELV-4.

Market research, started with CNCP support, should confirm the commercial viability of hydrogel dressing production in Kazakhstan, as well as determine the costs necessary for establishing the production site, which will provide 10-15 specialists of the Institute with sustainable jobs.

Methods for Analysis of Material Composition

Traditionally the strong activity direction of INP NNC RK is development and application of the methods for analysis of element and radionuclide composition of various materials. A complex of analysis methods using interaction of accelerated ion beams with different substances is developed at the accelerator UKP-2-1. The operating research nuclear reactor WWR-K gives an opportunity to implement one of the most perceptible methods for analysis of element compositions - neutron activation analysis (NAA). INP has significant results in this field. However, there is a big difference between analysis of several or dozens of samples for accomplishment of research tasks and implementation of mass analysis of thousands of samples on a commercial basis.

Establishment of the NAA commercial site

In Kazakhstan, practical interest in NAA is linked with its implementation in medical and biological research, metallurgy, ecology and geology. By preliminary estimate, the last two positions have the highest commercial potential. Peculiar features of industrial activity on the Republic's territory called fourth necessity in continuous monitoring of environment objects, including control of different chemical elements contained in them. During the last years considerable amounts of funds have been allocated for these purposes. Geology is also undertaking the second birth - the developing economy of Kazakhstan has a growing need to explore and specify stocks of mineral raw materials.

Since there is no universal methods suitable to find out composition of any elements in any samples using NAA, at the first stage it is necessary to choose the most commercially viable tasks, define appropriate methods and develop a detailed plan to establish the mass analysis of samples. This is an objective of the market research funded by CNCP. At present from the all possible variants, the main "candidates" for commercialization are the following methods:

• defining of gold, tantalum and accompanying elements in geological samples;
• defining of concentration of toxic and heavy metals in soils, bottom sediment, air aerosols and agricultural products.

The required analysis perceptibility depends on the task being accomplished and economic targets and comes within 10-4-10-8 %.

In general, technological processes will include preparation of samples, radiation treatment, and radiation cooling of samples, measuring of spectrums and processing of results. Each of the stages should be organized in the way to ensure high productivity and economic efficiency. And one of the most important conditions for success is also ensuring guaranteed quality of analysis which requires implementation of related procedures. 15 specialists are scheduled to be engaged on the site with productivity of 10,000 samples per year.

Radioisotopes production

In INP NNC RK, there are two powerful facilities which allow producing artificial radioactive isotopes: nuclear reactor WWR-K and isochronous cyclotron U-150M. However, in compliance with "separation of powers" between research nuclear institutes which existed in the former USSR, this direction has not been developed. The situation greatly changed after establishment of state borders, customs barriers and market relations on the post-soviet territory - isotopes were actively produced especially after resuming operation of the reactor in 1998. Today INP regularly provides diagnostic laboratories of local clinics with radio pharmaceutical preparations with isotopes technetium-99m, thallium-201, iodine-131; a license was obtained to also produce preparations with gallium-67 in 2005. Production of isotope balk-products for export supplies is being prepared with participation of foreign partners. At the same time, the main domestic market capacity for isotopes in Kazakhstan is connected with final products not yet developed by the Institute - sealed radioactive sources.

Organization of sealed radioactive sources production

There are quite a few ways to use sealed radioactive sources in contemporary economy: oil and gas industry, chemical industry, power engineering, metallurgy, geology, mining, ecology, meteorology, agriculture and medicine. According to available data consumers of sealed radioactive sources in Kazakhstan are:

• oil and gas industry using sources for non-destructive check of pipe lines and equipment, boreholes logging and control of technological parameters;
• geological survey sector using sources for logging and the field tool of roentgen fluorescent analysis;
• mining industry and metallurgy using sources in devices for express analysis of ore and products, and also for control of technological processes parameters.
• analytical laboratories of enterprises of different sectors using devices with integrated sources;
• cancer clinics using sources for distant and intracavitary radiotherapy.

Implementation of production technologies and testing methods of sealed sources have been already started in INP, new experimental lots have been produced. However, organization of economically-effective production requires a systematic approach. CNCP experts recommended the first step should be carrying-out detailed market research of Kazakhstan for sealed sources in order to identify main consumers and the most demanded kinds of sources. A production organization plan should be developed taking into account costs and the expected commercial return. In particular, it is planned to consider a possibility to provide complex services to consumers from production of an ordered source to its utilization when the normative time of operation expires, which can be an essential advantage of INP in the domestic market. The scope of the project will be defined more exactly but by now it is evident that a number of created jobs will rise to several dozens.

Business training

Support provided by CNCP to Kazakhstan scientists in commercialization of developed technologies is not limited by funding of certain technological projects. It also organizes training programmes for former nuclear weapons specialists in marketing, business-planning and project management. Dynamics of these programmes is impressive:

• February 2005. Two INP representatives, as part of the group of specialists from four CIS countries, took a monthly course in Business English in the UK organized with support of CNCP.
• March 2005. The First CIS CNCP Annual Conference dedicated to different commercialization aspects of scientific and technological developments successfully took place in Almaty, in which specialists from nuclear centres of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan participated as well as representatives from Russia and UK.
• April 2005. CNCP organized training courses in marketing, business-planning and project management on the base of the international business-school working in Almaty which is attended by 16 specialists from INP.
• May 2005. In the framework of CNCP, a Study Tour to the UK for specialists from CIS nuclear centres was organized to introduce experience of technologies commercialization and establishment of economically stable enterprises to them; three representatives of INP participated in it.

Now it is difficult to forecast further progress of events. However, it is evident that such an active and complex support of commercial efforts of the INP by the CNCP should result in positive action - implementation of the started projects should lead to establishment of economically-effective productions and creation of jobs for former nuclear weapons specialists in the civil sector of a new economy of Kazakhstan.