URAIS Tarragona: 25 years measuring ambient water radioactivity

25 years measuring the invisible: the Environmental and Health Radiochemistry Unit (URAIS) of the Rovira i Virgili University has become a benchmark in the control of environmental radioactivity in the province of Tarragona.

Located at the drinking water treatment plant in l’Ampolla, this laboratory combines scientific rigor and applied research to guarantee the quality of the water reaching citizens and industries. A story that began in 2001 and now celebrates a quarter of a century with a look towards the future.

URAIS’s trajectory in Tarragona

Origin and evolution of the laboratory

The URAIS laboratory was born from an agreement between the Tarragona Water Consortium (CAT) and the Rovira i Virgili University to control environmental radioactivity, especially in the water supplied to the Tarragona area.

After a few initial years on the Sescelades campus, in 2007 it moved to the Drinking Water Treatment Plant in l’Ampolla, where it is part of the Water Quality Laboratory (LQAIGUA). This change of location coincided with ISO 17025 accreditation by the National Accreditation Entity (ENAC), a seal that confirms its technical competence.

Human team and local leadership

The management has been consistent with Francesc Borrull, promoter and reference, and Carme Aguilar as head of the laboratory. The team is expanded with specialized technicians and predoctoral researchers, such as Magdiel Gongora, who maintains the link between research and practice.

The presence of students in training ensures that URAIS stays up to date with the latest methodologies and scientific advances, a key factor that differentiates this laboratory from conventional ones.

Functions and services that protect Tarragona

Radiological control of water

URAIS is responsible for measuring the radioactivity of the drinking water consumed by the municipalities and industries of the Tarragona region, ensuring that levels comply with health and environmental standards.

Furthermore, the laboratory analyzes different types of samples, from soils and sediments to biota and food, to detect the presence of environmental radioactivity and protect public health.

Applied research and continuous improvement

The tasks do not stop at routine control. URAIS incorporates new methodologies and updates protocols thanks to its link with the University.

Publishing in international journals and participating in audits compel the team to stay current, with a rigorous scientific approach that adds value to water management in Tarragona.

25 years celebrating radiological protection in Tarragona

Commemorative scientific conference

To celebrate a quarter of a century, URAIS, CAT, and URV have organized the conference "25 years measuring the radioactivity of our environment," with presentations addressing everything from radioprotection in drinking waters to control in nuclear plants and radon monitoring in the air.

The meeting highlighted URAIS’s role as a link between the university, administrations, and citizens, emphasizing the importance of reliable and updated control.

Local impact and public service

Based in l’Ampolla, URAIS is an example of how applied research and public service can be combined to protect the territory and the health of all Tarragonins.

A job that, after 25 years, shows that measuring what is unseen is key to guaranteeing a safer future for the province.

If radioactivity is invisible, URAIS’s work is not. And that, for Tarragona, is more than enough.

Source of the article: Rovira i Virgili University