Category: IAEA

How does a Cyclotron Work?

While all particle accelerators share a common goal – boosting the energy of particles – they achieve this in different ways.

Cyclotrons accelerate particles in a spiral path using a constant magnetic field and an alternating electric field. The spiral design is one of the cyclotron’s main advantages. It allows for continuous acceleration in a relatively small space. As a result, cyclotrons are typically smaller, often room-sized, and more affordable than other accelerators. They can be installed in hospitals or university labs without needing massive facilities. Cyclotrons are also well-suited for producing specific types of radioactive isotopes needed in medical imaging and cancer treatment, and for other localized applications in research or industry.

In contrast, linear accelerators, or linacs, propel particles in a straight line using a series of electric fields. While linacs can be simpler in design, they often require much more space to achieve the same energy levels as a cyclotron. They are commonly used in radiotherapy, where precise targeted beams of radiation are used to treat tumours.

Another type of accelerator is the synchrotron – a much larger and more complex machine found in national research centres. Like cyclotrons, they guide particles in a circular path, but with variable magnetic fields and radiofrequency acceleration. These machines can reach extremely high energies, making them suitable for research in particle physics, materials science, and even drug development. However, due to their size and cost, they are typically used by national or international research centres, not hospitals or small labs.

How are Cyclotrons used in Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases?

Medical Imaging

Cancer Treatment

How are Cyclotrons used Today?

Alm-Lytz making radiation measurements at Loviisa nuclear power plant during outage inspection. (Photo: FORTUM) 

The IAEA profiles employees to provide insight into the variety of career paths that support the Agency’s mission of Atoms for Peace and Development and to inspire and encourage readers, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or STEM-adjacent fields. Read more profiles of women at the IAEA.   

From a young age, Kirsi Alm-Lytz, now head of the IAEA Regulatory Activities Section, was fascinated by physics, and its ability to explain everything in our universe, from the motion of planets to the behaviour of particles. This passion for understanding the fundamental laws of nature eventually led her to a career in nuclear regulation, where she applies her knowledge and expertise to ensure the safe use of nuclear technology. 

“I remember when I was a kid, becoming an architect was once my dream, but as my interest in physics grew, it guided me towards finding my career in nuclear regulation,” said Alm-Lytz. “We grow up with visions of who we might become, but along the way, new paths unfold, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes beautifully.”  

At just 24 years old, after she completed her Master of Science degree in engineering physics focusing on plasma physics and nuclear technologies Alm-Lytz undertook her first nuclear power plant outage inspection in Finland’s Loviisa nuclear powerplant, an experience that shaped her career.  

Intrigued by the nuclear field’s complexities, challenges, and immense potential, she started to wonder how she could contribute to nuclear safety regulation.  

In South Africa approximately one rhino is being killed for its horn every day.

A pioneering effort capitalising on the world’s nuclear security infrastructure is being rolled out this week to help prevent the illegal poaching and protect South Africa’s rhino.

The Rhisotope Project, supported by the IAEA, is safely inserting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns to deter poachers and stop smuggling by making the horns detectable at international borders. Watch this film to find out more.  

The Galapagos Islands where the Oceanography and Microplastics Laboratory, supported by the IAEA, was established to monitor and analyse microplastic pollution.

A new laboratory supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was officially inaugurated this month in the Galapagos Islands to address the growing threat of marine microplastic pollution.

The Oceanography and Microplastics Laboratory was established by the government in Ecuador, with support from the IAEA, to monitor and analyse microplastic pollution in the Galapagos Islands. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands are renowned for their extraordinary biodiversity and unique evolutionary adaptations, shaped by their remote location some 1000 kilometres west of mainland Ecuador.

While a robust monitoring and cleanup programme is in place to tackle the estimated six tonnes of plastic waste that wash ashore on the islands each year, microplastics — plastic particles smaller than five millimetres — pose a more complex challenge for the Galapagos National Park, a protected area encompassing 97% of the islands.

Nuclear-derived techniques can help detect and analyse microplastic particles too small for traditional monitoring. The laboratory is now analysing water samples and will be able to analyse sediment, and biota samples from the islands at a microscopic scale to identify the types of polymers and improve the understanding of how they disperse in the marine environment where they can endanger marine life.

In a video address at the opening ceremony for the laboratory on 17 July, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the laboratory — situated on the Santa Cruz Island — will be an active partner in environmental monitoring and reporting of microplastic pollution for Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.

“The laboratory offers new opportunities to conduct studies on the environmental impact on the vulnerable and relevant biodiversity of the Islands, helping authorities to take and implement more precise control measures aimed at the protection and conservation of the Galapagos National Park,” he added.

The new laboratory marks a significant milestone in the IAEA’s NUTEC Plastics initiative, which has supported countries since its launch in 2020 in researching microplastics and applying nuclear techniques to enhance recycling processes. The support to the Galapagos Islands follows the IAEA’s work in Antarctica — another valuable ecosystem — with the launch of microplastics research there in 2024.

The data generated in the new laboratory will enable local and national authorities to more accurately assess plastic pollution levels and design targeted strategies to mitigate their impact. The information will also feed into the IAEA’s coordinated efforts under the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco to build a global network of laboratories with analytical capacities to monitor and mitigate marine microplastic pollution.

The IAEA, through its technical cooperation programme, has also strengthened monitoring and analytical capacities in institutions such as the Galapagos National Park and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Guayaquil, to address the growing threat of marine pollution from microplastics in the Galapagos Islands. The IAEA has allocated nearly €1 million to provide the new laboratory with equipment and training for monitoring marine stressors such as ocean acidification, eutrophication, and microplastic pollution — all of which threaten the region’s unique biodiversity and ecosystems.

The Rhisotope Project team inserting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. (Martin Klinenboeck/IAEA)

In a pioneering effort to combat wildlife trafficking of the threatened rhinoceros, a South African University today began implementing a project supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The project combines the safe insertion of radioactive isotopes into rhino horns and available nuclear security infrastructure to deter and detect illegal poaching.

With over 10,000 rhinos lost to poaching in the past decade, South Africa – home to the world’s largest population of rhinos – remains a target for criminals driven by the illegal trade of rhino horn. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the South African Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment reported 103 rhinos poached. In response, this project run by the University of the Witwatersrand is using radiation to support conservation and enforcement efforts.

After two years of initial tests, the Rhisotope Project was created in 2021 with the idea to tag rhino horns with radioactive material. This makes the horns detectable by radiation portal monitors (RPMs) already deployed at borders, ports and airports worldwide. These RPMs, commonly used to detect nuclear and other radioactive material, can now be harnessed against wildlife crime.

The IAEA’s support to the Rhisotope Project leverages its central role in strengthening the global nuclear security framework. With millions of vehicles and people crossing borders every day, the use of an estimated 10,000 RPMs worldwide has become a critical tool for detecting unauthorized transboundary movements of nuclear and other radioactive material.

“The Rhisotope Project shows how nuclear science and nuclear security infrastructure can be used in new ways to address global challenges,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “The IAEA is supporting countries to maximize the benefits of nuclear. By using already installed nuclear security infrastructure in novel ways, we can help protect one of the world’s most iconic and endangered species.”

At an event today in the Waterberg, Limpopo, about 250 kilometres north of Johannesburg, the University of Witwatersrand announced the results of the rigorous safety assessments conducted during the pilot phase of the project. In June last year, radioisotopes were inserted into 20 rhinos. Health monitoring and cytological examinations of 15 treated animals and a comparison of five animals not treated were conducted by Ghent University in Belgium. The test results proved that the method is non-invasive and does not pose a risk to the rhinos’ health.

“This has been an international collaboration of likeminded individuals who are trying to make a real difference to this poaching crisis,” said James Larkin, Director, Radiation and Health Physics Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand. “We started with the question – what if radiation could protect rather than harm, by turning rhino horns into traceable markers that stop poachers before they trade? After two years of digital modelling, safety testing and detection simulations, we’re ready to roll out a solution that could truly reduce rhino poaching.”

The success of project also opens the door for future applications to other endangered species.

“The methodology could be adapted to protect other endangered species like elephants or pangolins,” said Larkin.

The IAEA is providing both technical and financial support to the project under its Coordinated Research Project titled Facilitation of Safe and Secure Trade Using Nuclear Detection Technology – Detection of RN and Other Contraband. As part of the project, the Agency also supports countries in their efforts to optimize the detection of radiation by the use of its Minimum Detectable Quantity and Alarm Threshold Estimation Tool, thereby allowing detection of the tagged with radiation rhino horns.

“The Rhisotope Project brings the entire global nuclear security network into play,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security. “The nuclear security infrastructure that exists in many countries around the world to detect smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material can be used to pick up the trafficking of rhino horn, and any other contraband that might be carried alongside it. Committing to nuclear security pays off in multiple ways.”

B-roll and photos will be made available here.

Members of the INSServ team visited the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport during the IAEA mission to Zambia. (Photo: Radiation Protection Authority, Zambia)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed an advisory service mission to Zambia focused on assessing the country’s nuclear security regime for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control, referred to as MORC. The team recognized Zambia’s commitment to nuclear security through its efforts to prevent, detect and respond to unauthorized acts involving MORC, and pointed out capacity building and coordination among stakeholders as areas for further enhancement.

The International Nuclear Security Advisory Service (INSServ) mission was conducted at the request of the Republic of Zambia and took place from 14 to 23 July 2025. Hosted by the Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) of Zambia, the mission was led by Samer Quran, Director of the National Centre for Nuclear and Radiological Security at the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission in Jordan.

The team comprised of five experts from Argentina, Egypt, Jordan, Norway and the USA, as well as two IAEA staff members.

INSServ missions aim to support States in strengthening their ability to prevent, detect and respond to criminal and intentional unauthorized acts involving nuclear or other MORC, which is lost, missing, stolen, improperly disposed of, or inadequately stored or handled. The scope of the INSServ mission included the foundational elements of nuclear security systems and measures for MORC, as well as detection and response systems and measures.

“Following an International Physical Protection Advisory Service in 2023, the first INSServ mission in Zambia builds on the country’s ongoing efforts to improve its nuclear security regime by leveraging the available IAEA assistance mechanisms,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security. “We are looking forward to continued cooperation with Zambia’s competent authorities for strengthening nuclear security.”

During the mission to Zambia, the team conducted a series of meetings with officials from the RPA, the Office of the President, the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Technology and Science, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Zambia Police Service, National Anti-Terrorism Center, Immigration Department, Zambia Airports Cooperation, Civil Aviation Authority and Zambia Revenue Authority.

The team also conducted site visits to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, the Kazungula (land) Border, the RPA Inland Office in Livingstone, the Kapiri-Mposhi Railway Station and the National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research.

“The country has made progress in developing and implementing nuclear security measures at its borders and within its territory. The mission confirmed Zambia’s commitment to further improvements concluding that the country should continue to build on its efforts to strengthen multi-agency cooperation and coordination among national competent authorities responsible for nuclear security,” said Samer Quran, the INSServ Team Leader.

To further enhance its nuclear security capabilities, the team recommended that Zambia develop comprehensive training programmes for its personnel, including exercises. The experts identified good practices in the field of information security and in processes aimed at reducing the risk of insider threats.

“The INSServ mission marks a significant milestone in Zambia’s commitment to strengthening nuclear security. The recommendations received will guide our efforts to build a robust and resilient nuclear security regime, protecting our people from the risks posed by nuclear and radioactive material outside regulatory control,” said Boster D. Siwila, Executive Director of the RPA.

The IAEA’s INSServ mission is part of its ongoing efforts to assist Member States in strengthening their nuclear security regimes in relation to MORC. The Agency provides a range of services in this area, including expert advice, training and equipment support, to help Member States protect against criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving such materials.

The draft findings and recommendations were presented to the Republic of Zambia, and the final report will be presented in about three months.

Background

The mission was the 89th INSServ mission conducted by the IAEA, since the programme began in 2006.

INSServ missions, based on the INSServ guidelines published in 2019, assist States in establishing, maintaining and strengthening their nuclear security regime related to nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.

The missions provide independent advice on implementing international instruments, along with IAEA guidance on the prevention and detection of and response to criminal and intentional unauthorized acts involving nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control. 

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi meets President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Singapore.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Singapore last week to reaffirm support to the country and the wider region, as interest grows in Southeast Asia for nuclear power and technology.  

During his trip, Mr Grossi met with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng. Their conversations focused on the region’s growing interest in nuclear energy, peaceful applications of nuclear technology such as in health and food security, and the importance of effective multilateralism. 

Singapore is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), many of whose members are considering nuclear power. 

“This visit confirmed what we are seeing worldwide: momentum is building, and ASEAN’s interest in nuclear energy is real and promising,” said Mr Grossi. “This stable and low-carbon option clearly has a role to play in the region’s energy future.” 

This topic was also covered during his meeting with Singapore’s president, which Mr Grossi called “an honour” and said: “Our exchange touched on shared priorities for a safer, more sustainable future.”  

This collaborative approach was also reflected in his meeting with the prime minister.