When the unimaginable happened on 26 April 1986 and a reactor exploded at the Soviet nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, highly volatile radioactive substances such as iodine-131 and caesium-137 were ejected over 1000 meters into the earth's atmosphere, while highly volatile substances such as strontium and plutonium were deposited in the vicinity of the accident site. In the days that followed, radioactive clouds drifted over Europe. When the Chernobyl cloud reached Aalen, nothing could be seen, tasted or smelled - the radioactive cargo from the accident reactor, more than 1800 kilometers away, was imperceptible to the senses. It contaminates the green fodder for livestock, settles on outdoor vegetables and contaminates playgrounds.
"Nobody was prepared for a disaster of this magnitude."
"At first, it was impossible to foresee the enormous consequences. But when the sensitive radiation measuring devices in the isotope laboratory immediately started up, we got pretty nervous," recalls Dr. Wolfgang Schulz, who has been a lecturer at Aalen University of Applied Sciences for more than 40 years and led the measurement campaigns during the Chernobyl disaster. "Those were frightening times. There were no emergency plans for such a situation, nobody was prepared for a disaster of this magnitude. People were understandably very unsettled. Suddenly, scary foreign words like Becquerel, millisievert and caesium played a major role in everyday life. It was a great stroke of luck that we had the appropriate measurement technology. This allowed us to get started immediately and take our first measurements." The isotope laboratory was set up at the end of the 1960s. With a focus on metal refinement, materials science and later Chemistry, the use of isotopes for trace analysis, material testing and process monitoring was an obvious choice. From 1972, students were also taught the safe handling of radioactive substances and modern measurement methods.
Gamma spectrometer costing 100,000 marks
"That was a good basis, so that we were able to react accordingly in '86 and were also in close contact with the district office," says Schulz, adding with pride: "The University of Applied Sciences - then still a university of applied sciences - was the first point of contact for the district." After all, very specific questions suddenly arose in Ostwürttemberg too: Is the milk still safe to drink? Are the fruit and vegetables still safe? Can I breastfeed my baby? To meet the great need for information, the University of Applied Sciences leased a gamma spectrometer costing 100,000 marks just a few weeks after the serious reactor accident. This made it possible to determine very precisely which radioactive substances were contained in a sample and in what quantities. For a fee of 40 marks, normal consumers could take advantage of the offer. Although this was no bargain by the standards of the time, it was still cheap compared to official measuring stations such as the TÜV, which charged up to 150 marks.
Concerned citizens from all over the Ostalbkreis district
"On the very first day, concerned citizens from all over the district, even from Schwäbisch Hall and Backnang, brought plastic bags full of soil, apples or currants to have them tested for radiation," recalls Silvin Hippich. The chemical-technical assistant has been working at the University of Applied Sciences since 1977 and, together with Schulz, was responsible for measuring the countless radioactivity samples. The two of them hardly ever left the laboratory at that time. The canning season was just around the corner and soon after that the Christmas season too. In a joint campaign with a local newspaper, in addition to the regular milk measurements, hazelnut and game radioactivity measurements were also carried out, because after all, radiant Christmas cookies or a radiant roast venison should not spoil the festivities.
A unique selling point
"The University of Applied Sciences had a unique selling point," says Schulz. The tall man, who - in keeping with his nature as a trained chemist and physicist as well as an environmental scientist with a doctorate - speaks very matter-of-factly and soberly about these times, strokes the gamma spectrometer's housing almost gently. The device is still located in the basement of the University of Applied Sciences and continues to perform its faithful service in the practical training of students - it was technologically adapted in 2018. "Refurbished, so to speak," says Prof. Dr. Dirk Flottmann, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, and laughs heartily. After the three-month lease expired in 1986, the gamma spectrometer was acquired with the combined efforts of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the city of Aalen and the University of Applied Sciences. Since then, around 2000 Chemistry students have received practical training here in measurement technology and radioactivity testing, which is a fixed part of the sixth semester.
"The isotope laboratory is as important today as it used to be."
One of these Chemistry students in their 6th semester is Alexander Ehrlinspiel. He has brought a soil sample from his home garden for the laboratory analysis. "It's cool that you can apply the knowledge from the lecture directly in the lab practical. And it's an interesting and still topical subject," says the student. The 25-year-old only knows Chernobyl from stories and media reports, and even Fukushima is "a long way away" for him. However, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the conflict in Iran are bringing nuclear risks back to the fore. "The isotope laboratory is as important today as it used to be," emphasizes Flottmann. "You never know what will happen. That's why it's always good to be prepared." Dr. Wolfgang Schulz and Silvin Hippich agree. Although the two have actually long since retired, they are still passionate about working in the isotope laboratory every Friday afternoon. "It's simply meaningful when you can show the students something. Besides, I'm already part of the furniture," smiles Hippich. And Schulz adds: "Growing tomatoes in the garden is not for me. I'd rather analyze a tomato in the isotope lab."
