Radiochemistry spans energy, medicine, environmental monitoring, national security, and forensic sectors. Monitoring, analyzing, and preventing exposure to radiation is critical to our health and safety. Radiochemicals can contaminate our bodies or the environment through different exposure routes. Radiation exposure may come from natural sources like radon and uranium, or from man-made isotopes used in nuclear energy, medicine, or industrial applications. This exposure can affect our genetic material and lead to radiation sickness, cancer, and other adverse health effects. Public health laboratories assure effective detection, monitoring, analyzing, and response to radiological threats.
Public health laboratories support the detection and identification of radiological agents, monitoring and surveillance of radiological threats, and analysis and quantification of radiological exposures. In the event of a radiological event or exposure notification, laboratories can test the radiologic material to identify and quantify the radiochemical, any radioactive food, environment to understand the reach of contamination and human specimens to understand the impact on an individual’s health. Laboratories collaborate on response activities and best practices to support a robust network that can respond and support.
Radiochemistry requires an adaptable and highly trained workforce. But, according to our 2023 All-hazards Laboratory Preparedness Survey, 91% (20/22) of state public health laboratories reported the need for additional radiochemists to meet their public health needs. Additionally, nearly half of the radiochemistry workforce is expected to retire in the next five to ten years. This current workforce shortage is compounded by the lack of formal radiochemistry education and training programs. We are currently tackling the radiochemistry workforce shortage through networking and collaboration opportunities, sponsoring a radiochemistry Graduate Certificate Program with University of Iowa, and travel and training awards.
The Radiochemistry Community of Practice meets bimonthly to discuss emerging topics, best practices, and provide guidance and support to our members.
If you are interested in joining the community, please email [email protected].
Peer-to-peer Exchange Program
APHL supports a laboratory exchange program to increase knowledge sharing among public health laboratories. Radiochemistry professionals host and travel to other peer laboratories to learn more about best practices across analysis techniques, instrumentation, outreach and other best practices.
Graduate Certificate Program
APHL partners with the University of Iowa to provide the Radiochemistry Graduate Certificate Program. The program is held asynchronously online with two week in-person sessions to deliver hands-on training in the laboratory to support current working professionals. APHL sponsors the students’ tuition and travel costs to attend and facilitates a Mentorship program for the students and radiochemistry experts to build a stronger radiochemistry workforce.
Travel and Training Awards
APHL supports members in their professional development by awarding funds for travel and training opportunities. These awards are intended for permanent employees at APHL member environmental or public health laboratories engaged in testing environmental (air, water, soil, etc.) matrices or clinical specimens (blood, urine, etc.) to enhance public health laboratories radiochemistry capacity.
Apply for a 2026 award
