Canadian Light Source

As Canada modernizes its aging reactors and plans new ones, researchers are working to improve safety while keeping energy costs low.

A key challenge is developing reactor materials that last longer and perform reliably in intense reactor environments.

materials are promising candidates. They can withstand extreme temperatures (over 2,000 °C) while maintaining strong mechanical properties—but their response to radiation isn’t yet fully understood. Tiny distortions in their crystal structure may play a critical role.

Researchers Jonathan Adsetts, Emma Greenall, and Prof. Yanwen Zhang with Queen’s University used synchrotron X-rays at the CLS to study how these distortions influence radiation damage. Their goal is to design safer, radiation-resistant materials to support Canada’s nuclear energy sector. These advances could reduce reactor downtime and lower nuclear energy costs.

This research is supported by NSERC.
Queen's University Smith Engineering at Queen's University Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

: Mandacaru is a tall, highly drought-resistant cactus that grows in semi-arid regions of southern Brazil. For generations, Indigenous communities in that country have used its plant and fruit for food, animal feed, and traditional medicines. The fruit of the mandacaru is shaped somewhere between an egg and a pear and are about 6 cm in diameter and 12 cm long. Mandacaru seeds are rich in healthy minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as good fats that support human health. Researchers in USask’s Department of Biology (College of Arts and Science) are using the CLS to better understand the potential health benefits of mandacaru seeds. While Indigenous peoples have long relied on the cactus’s fruit and seeds, this may be the first in-depth analysis of the plant’s structure and chemistry. What the USask team learns could help inform development of new value-added foods, natural medicines, and promising new crops to reduce food insecurity in rural communities.

Brazilian PhD graduate student Everaldo dos Santos (photo top right), from the Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), is visiting Canada for six months to work on the project under supervisor Hugo Cota-Sanchez (left, in photo bottom right), professor emeritus in USask’s Department of Biology. Dos Santos is a member of the Plant Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory (LGBV). His visit is sponsored by Global Affairs Canada, as part of the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program. USask has a Memorandum of Understanding with UEM to promote research exchange and mobility of faculty and graduate students.

University of Saskatchewan
College of Arts and Science - University of Saskatchewan
Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM

Foods with sprouted cereals such as wheat and pseudocereals such as quinoa are continuing to gain popularity. You may have seen products in the grocery store with sprouted wheat or quinoa that offer easier digestion and boosted nutrients. Researchers with the University of Guelph and the CLS are using our synchrotron light to better understand the sprouting process of cereals and pseudocereals. Reihaneh Abdi with the U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College and colleagues used our BMIT-BM and Mid-IR beamlines to analyze different sprouted wheat varieties. Using X-ray imaging, they mapped the structural breakdown of wheat endosperm and detailed structural changes in the starch, proteins, and cell wall polymers during sprouting. The team aims to use these insights to improve the consistency of commercial sprouting processes and improve the quality and nutritional benefits of sprouted wheat products. In the near future, the team plans to apply the same approach to sprouted pseudocereals. Other members of the research team include Wei Cao and Iris Joye (U of G) and Jarvis Stobbs (CLS). Funding for this project was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Canada Foundation for Innovation University of Guelph