TESMARAC

The TESMARAC joint laboratory focuses on the development of selective supports necessary for the separation and determination of radionuclides at trace level in complex matrices in order to meet demands related to the management of (TE)NORM ("(Technology-Enhanced) Naturally-Occuring Radioactive Materials") and waste from the dismantling of nuclear installations. The associated issues concern (i) the management of radioactive waste, (ii) the recovery of materials and (iii) the assessment of the impact of radioactivity on humans. Innovation is envisaged through the knowledge and know-how from the Subatech laboratory behind the project (expertise in radiochemistry and nuclear metrology) and from TRISKEM (specialized in the manufacture and development of highly selective resins). The innovative approach is reinforced by a partnership with the MoDES team of the CEISAM laboratory through molecular modelling tools that will allow in-silico approaches. The functioning of this joint laboratory is based on the following steps: - Triskem International identifies current and future needs through technical conferences and discussions with its customers at national and international levels and assesses market potential. - Through their R&D teams, the partners identify groups of molecules likely to allow the desired separations. In-silico approaches are used upstream and downstream of experimental measurements. - The development of innovative materials is carried out in collaboration between R&D teams - The “hot” tests (i.e. in the presence of radioactivity) are performed at Subatech. Whenever possible, the experimental results are accompanied by modelling work (based on a mechanistic approach) in order to describe the observations and thus guide (and limit) the experiments. - The production and marketing of the final products will be the responsibility of Triskem International. The expected results for TRISKEM are the launch of new products and/or the extension of the scope of existing products. For the academic partner, the interest is multiple: the valorisation of the results and the use of innovative research approaches that require long-term research, the resulting expertise that can be used within the framework of the IN2P3/CNRS Becquerel network to respond to measurement requests, and the use of certain supports developed within the framework of existing research projects. The roadmap is structured around 3 projects that illustrate how the joint laboratory can lead to innovation with TRL levels expected at the end of the ANR-funded phase ranging from 3 to 9. The purpose of this first phase will be to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed collaboration in the TESMARAC laboratory. The partners are convinced that this close collaboration will increase the number of innovative products. A medium-term orientation of the labcom's activities towards nuclear medicine is envisaged. In addition to seeking funding for calls for projects, the sustainability of the joint laboratory (after the ANR support phase) will be based on (i) making laboratory equipment, calculation tools and staff on permanent contracts available, (ii) using part of the profits from the marketing of the products developed to help finance the joint laboratory and (iii) starting theses.