A simple instrument like mass spectrometer can revolutionize how unknown samples are investigated in the future.

A new method developed by researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) can spot the origins of illegal nuclear material in just 30 minutes. Requiring only a relatively simple instrument, such as a mass spectrometer, the method can help identify the source of any nuclear material outside regulatory control.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), theft or improper disposal can result in nuclear and radiological material falling out of regulatory control. In 2,024,124 such incidents were reported to the IAEA, of which at least three were linked to “trafficking or malicious use”

Earlier this year, a leader of a crime syndicate pleaded guilty to trafficking nuclear material in a New York court. The accused had discussed sale of yellowcake uranium with an undercover agent.