ANSN Opens Probe After Ipen Reports Low‑Level Technetium‑99 Contamination

Overview

• Ipen disclosed that two employees in its radio‑pharmacy unit had superficial contamination of clothing and footwear with technetium‑99 during routine work in May and that no internal uptake was found.
• The institute reported post‑exposure readings between 100 and 700 counts per second, far below a 13,000 reference level, and said standard decontamination protocols and whole‑body counts were applied.
• The Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Nuclear has opened a formal investigation and has requested documentation from Ipen and CNEN while the institute conducts an internal review.
• Worker unions Sindsef‑SP and Assipen have pressed for fuller disclosure and linked the episode to long‑standing budget, staffing and infrastructure shortfalls and delays in required medical exams.
• Officials say the contamination was confined to a controlled area and a sector remains isolated; the next steps are regulator review of Ipen’s reports and any recommended corrective measures to strengthen safety procedures.