ITRAP results: detection of radioactive material at the borders to combat Illicit trafficking

The paper describes the results of the extended pilot study ITRAP (Illicit trafficking radiation assessment program) of commercially available monitoring systems for the detection of nuclear and other radioactive materials at border crossings. ITRAP was carried out from the Austrian research center Seibersdorf (ARCS) for the Austrian Government, coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour. In co-operation with the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) the program was also supported by the word customs organisation (WCO), the international criminal police organization (INTERPOL) and the Hungarian Government. The ITRAP study consists of a laboratory test phase and field tests at the Austrian/Hungarian border Nickelsdorf and the Vienna airport, each for a duration of one year. The results will be used to derive realistic performance requirements for border control systems in view of optimised technical and economic conditions. First results of the ITRAP study were given at the IAEA Conference On the Safety of Radiation Sources and the Security of Radioactive Materials, Dijon, France, in September 1998 [1]. (orig.)