Liberec, North Bohemia, Oct 12 (CTK) – The Czech chemical unit in Liberec took over yesterday a mobile laboratory to detect toxic and radioactive substances, drugs and explosives, which was financed by the United States and which is the most modern in NATO, Radek Cerny has told CTK.
Cerny, commander of the 31st radiation, chemical and biological protection regiment in Liberec, said the laboratory cost 160 million crowns and it was financed by the United States within the programme of assistance to foreign armed forces.
“We presented the new laboratory design in 2013. The Americans included our project among the priority ones. It has become reality yesterday when we are taking it over after three years of development and production,” Cerny said.
Dusan Trefilik, commander of the chemical laboratory, said the new laboratory differs from the previous type mainly by the high resolution of samples.
The chemists can now determine a substance in concentrations in nanograms per millimeter, but the interpretation and conclusion must be done by man like in the previous laboratory.
Trefilik said the laboratory can analyse solid, liquid as well as gaseous samples.
The laboratory is suitable for military purposes as well as within the integrated rescue system. It can detect leaked industrial poisons, for instance.
The Liberec chemists will keep the old laboratory, which they received 15 years ago.
“We lacked one. The one used in foreign operations in 2001-13 has been worn-out by time as well as the conditions in which it was used,” Cerny said.
($1=24.387 crowns)
