Background and Vision

• Atomic energy and ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, gamma rays, X-rays, protons, neutrons) are increasingly vital for Vietnam’s industry, agriculture, and medicine.

• With 2,000 organizations using radiation sources, there is a critical need for advanced training and research in radiation safety.

• The group collaborates closely with top institutes (INST, NRI, VNU-HUS), leveraging specialized infrastructure to drive research and develop national expertise in neutron dosimetry and environmental radioactivity.

• Building national radiation databases and analyzing natural isotopes (U, Th, K) help support environmental protection and rare earth resource exploration.

Research Objectives

• Address practical challenges in radiation safety and environmental assessment, while developing multidisciplinary nuclear applications.

• Main objectives:

  • • Environmental radioactivity: Improve methods (especially gamma spectrometry) for analyzing environmental samples in high radiation areas in Northern Vietnam.

    • Radiation safety: Advance research in radiation dose calibration and practical applications.

    • Multidisciplinary applications in medicine: Establish new research using nuclear techniques and AI tools.

    • Multidisciplinary applications in materials and archeology: Use RBS and PIXE techniques (on the Tandem Pelletron accelerator) for analysis of archaeological, environmental, medical, and new material samples.

    • Attracting resources: Diversify funds from NAFOSTED and local government projects driven by provincial needs.

Capabilities and Methods

• This research requires highly specialized, expensive equipment.

• The group uses a collaborative model—maximizing equipment at partner institutes (INST, NRI, VNU-HUS).

• The core strength lies in leading research design, data analysis, and publishing.

• Future plan: Build a Radiation Safety Lab, with support from Japanese and domestic partners, integrating new and existing equipment to enable competitive applied research capacity for local needs.

Typical Achievements

The group leader is an author and co-author of 20 international (ISI) papers in this research area. The success of the research strategy is clearly demonstrated through a diverse funding structure, including both basic research (NAFOSTED) and applied research (provincial-level):

• NAFOSTED Project (2023-2025): "Development of advanced nuclear analysis techniques for improving accuracy in environmental contamination analysis in some high-background-radiation areas in Northern Vietnam" (Key Research Member).

• Provincial-level Project (expected 2025): "Application of isotope techniques in the management of sloped land resources and erosion in Thai Nguyen province" (Project Lead, approved by Thai Nguyen DOST).

Selected Scientific Publications:

1.     Thi-Hong Bui, Van-Loat Bui, Van-Hao Duong, Duc-Thang Duong, Ngoc-Thiem Le, Dinh-Khoa Tran, Van-Khanh Tran, Thi-Thuy-Linh Ha, Giang T.T. Phan, Viet-Hoang Tran, Van-Khanh Hoang, Hoai-Nam Tran* “Transfer of natural radionuclides from soil to water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk) under flooded and unflooded conditions in Hanoi, Vietnam” Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 277 (2024) 107445.

2.     Van-Hao Duong, Chau Nguyen Dinh, Tien Chu Trung, Hung Nguyen Quoc, Do Xuan-Doc, Thanh Huong Bui Thi, Hoang Ha Nguyen Thi, Oanh Nguyen Thi, Hung Dinh Viet, Chien Nguyen Quang, Que Hoang Dinh, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa, Thanh Duong Van, Hoai-Nam Tran, Miklós Hegedűs, Tibor Kovács, “222Rn in selected waters sources from Quang Nam-Da Nang region-Central part of Vietnam” Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 17(1), 100756 (2024).

3.     Ngoc-Thiem Le, Ngoc-Quynh Nguyen, Nguyen Ngoc Anh*, Hoai-Nam Tran, Thiansin Liamsuwan, Van-Loat Bui, Tuan-Khai Nguyen, Duc-Khue Pham, Tien-Hung Dinh, Van-Chung Cao, “Evaluation of fluence-to-dose response function of neutron survey meter using singular value decomposition method”, Radiation Measurements, 182, 107280 (2024).

4.     Hong-Lam Pham, Thanh-Phi-Hung Hoang, Jin Sunjun, Duy-Linh Bui, Tuan-Khai Nguyen, Van-Loat Bui, Tuan-Anh Le, Huu-Quyet Nguyen, Duc-Khue Pham, Viet-Cuong Phan, Tien-Dung Phan, Quang-Trung Pham, Hoai-Nam Tran, Ngoc-Thiem Le*, “Calibration of ionization chamber in megavoltage x-ray field of medical linear accelerator”, Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection, 39(3), 220-225 (2024).

5.     Thanh Tai, D., Tuan, H. D., Xuan Hai, N., Ngoc Anh, N., Bradley, D., Sandwall, P., & Chow, J. C. L., “Examining Beam Matching in the Commissioning of a Halcyon Accelerator”, Nuclear Science and Engineering, 196(11), 1-11 (2024).

6.     Van-Toan Phan, Van-Hung Nguyen, Hung-Thai Pham, Van-Dung Pham, Dinh-Khoa Tran, Hoai-Nam Tran*, “Thermoluminescence properties of K2GdF5:Tb material irradiated in neutron-gamma fields of 241Am-Be source”, Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection, 39(1), 37-46 (2024).