Singapore’s Nuclear Safety: Radiation Detectives & SE Asia

Singapore’s National Radiochemistry Laboratory regularly tests its ability to detect even trace amounts of radiation, as Southeast Asian nations increasingly consider nuclear energy. The lab, under the National Environment Agency (NEA), received a package of items – including soil, crushed vegetation, and a clear liquid – from the UN atomic watchdog in 2025 as part of an annual assessment.

Annual Radiation Detection Tests

The items arrived in July 2025 as part of a proficiency test conducted by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assess national labs’ capabilities. Singapore has participated in these exercises since 2018. With growing ambitions to tap nuclear energy across Southeast Asia, the ability to detect unusual radioactivity levels is becoming increasingly important.

On Jan. 27, the media was given a rare glimpse into the National Radiochemistry Laboratory, located within the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The items sent by the IAEA are spiked with very low and safe levels of radioactive substances that do not pose a danger to scientists.

Low levels of radiation are naturally present in the environment, soil, and air, and even emitted by people. The NEA’s tests focus on three main types of radiation: alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. Gamma rays can penetrate the human body and damage DNA, while alpha and beta particles pose a greater health risk when inhaled, ingested, or entering through wounds.

Proficiency Test and Results

The proficiency test requires labs to analyze samples within seven days to ensure rapid and accurate reporting during crises. According to Mr. Ang Kok Kiat, group director of the NEA’s radiation protection and nuclear science group, Singapore has consistently aced the IAEA’s tests, performing comparably to countries with established labs.

In 2025, the Singapore lab reported results for alpha-emitting substances using a new technique. While the measurement was accurate, the IAEA provided feedback for refinement, such as increasing the sample amount for analyses. The NEA stated this feedback reflects the robustness of the testing process and supports ongoing efforts to enhance performance.

Monitoring background radioactivity levels is crucial for establishing baseline levels before nuclear plants emerge in the region, said Mr. Ang. Five ASEAN countries – Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand – are either studying the feasibility of advanced nuclear technology or have plans to build reactors in the coming decades. Singapore is also considering small modular nuclear reactors.

Emergency Preparedness and Regional Cooperation

Singapore actively participates in emergency drills run by the IAEA annually. In one scenario, the IAEA sends an alert of a fictional nuclear accident, requiring member countries to acknowledge the message within 30 minutes. Singapore strives to respond within 10 minutes.

In June 2025, Singapore joined over 70 countries in a large-scale drill simulating a severe accident at Romania’s nuclear plant, testing swift decision-making, public communication, and evacuation procedures. The NEA also operates a network of around 40 monitoring stations islandwide, including nine on reservoirs and coastal waters.

The lab routinely tests soil and water samples at least twice a year for elevated levels of manmade radioactive substances like caesium-137 and cobalt-60. So far, no elevated levels have been detected, according to Mr. Loo Howe Kiat, deputy director of NEA’s radiochemistry and radiation services department. Real-time ambient radiation data is published on the NEA’s website, with Singapore’s natural background radiation at about 0.1 micro-sieverts per hour – comparable to eating a banana.

NEA is part of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy, which established a regional early warning network. More than 80 monitoring stations are installed across Southeast Asia, with data shared on a platform accessible to all countries. In 2025, NEA established a nuclear safety division to support the Singapore Government in evaluating nuclear power, focusing on assessing reactor safety and monitoring regional developments.

The team is expanding, with officers pursuing postgraduate studies and professional training. Recently, two staff members visited a nuclear plant in the United States to learn about safety inspections. Mr. Matthew Chew, nuclear competency and strategy lead at engineering consultancy HY, emphasized the importance of participation in drills and proficiency tests to demonstrate Singapore’s mastery of radiological safety and emergency response preparedness.

The Straits Times outlines how NEA’s lab uncovers and measures radioactive particles. Over the years, the UN agency has sent items such as a tub of crushed vegetation and bottles of water spiked with varying amounts of radioactive particles. When a parcel arrives, a swab test is done on the cardboard box and the items to ensure there were no spills during transport. The swab is then run under a contamination monitor.

The items are run through a spectrometer, which identifies radioactive materials by measuring the energies of emitted gamma rays. Other radioactive substances are extracted using processes like solid-phase extraction, where samples are passed through columns that capture specific radioactive elements. Vials of substances such as tritium and strontium-90 are then run through a liquid scintillation counter, which can operate for multiple days to measure radioactivity, especially in samples with low activity levels.