Lead is a major problem when it ends up in our food and in nature. Even in very small amounts, the metal can cause damage to the nervous system, especially in foetuses and young children. 

It is no wonder that society limits its use in various ways. Lead bullets and lead shot, which are used in hunting, result in 10-16 tonnes of lead ending up in nature every year. A total ban is already being debated. 

Other lead-free bullets do not work optimally 

“For me, the lead issue arose already around 1990, when people started talking about how lead in gaseous form can be harmful, and that those of us who shoot firearms a lot would need to get tested,” says Staffan Leth, whose life has revolved around weapons in various ways. Raised in Djurås between Leksand and Borlänge, hunting and sport shooting have always been central. 

Staffan’s shop, which was started as a hobby in the ’90s, currently has three employees and stocks a wide range of goods. And lead has been an ever-present issue. 

“There have been alternatives, but they have not worked satisfactorily,” says Staffan. “In 2018, I therefore started to develop a lead-free hunting bullet – and it works better than traditional lead-nose bullets.” 

Staffan is used to so-called handloading products, which is when hunters or shooters adapt their ammunition to their firearm. Handloading (or, more accurately, reloading) involves reusing previously fired casings or shells by inserting a new percussion cap, gunpowder, and slug, which is done using a special tool available for each calibre. Developing a completely new bullet required a lot of careful planning and numerous attempts. 

“When I started the development, I had a high ambition: to make the world’s best hunting bullet. In Sweden. Lead-free. And with the same precision as a professional bullet! All with a price that appeals to every Swedish hunter.” 

An ambitious goal, especially since the lead-free alternatives available on the market are often perceived as inferior. 

“The quality has varied. Many hunters have been sceptical and found that they do not expand enough on impact. They also claim that they travel sluggishly through the barrel, which builds gas pressure that results in more powerful recoil.” 

Copper alloy with optimal design 

The bullet Staffan has now developed has a copper alloy and a design that he believes works optimally. 

“It has good expansion and expands up to double the diameter. Another advantage is that the residual weight is 99-100 percent.” 

The latter is an advantage even compared to traditional lead bullets, as it means that the bullet holds together inside the wound and does not spread small fragments that contaminate the meat. A lead-nose bullet fragments considerably, which means that you have to cut away a lot of meat around the entry point to ensure that lead residues do not end up on your plate. 

“Those who use our bullet claim to have 10 percent less waste compared to when they use lead bullets,” says Staffan. “For those who sell game meat and shoot many animals every year, that translates to many additional kilograms of meat that can be eaten, as well as more money.” 

To test his bullet, Staffan used ballistic gelatin, designed to simulate the effects of bullet wounds in animal muscle tissue. He feels confident in his conclusions. 

“But I need to verify my claims, both by having an independent party perform the same shooting tests and by demonstrating how the bullet behaves on impact.” 

He therefore approached RISE, which has a flexible test facility that allows for customisation according to the relevant ballistic requirements. During testing, a high-speed camera recording at 15,000 frames per second was used to evaluate the bullet’s behaviour. You can see an example in the video below. 

Received impartial evidence of the functionality 

“I got impartial evidence that the bullet actually works. They conducted rigorous tests and gave me videos showing the bullet’s behaviour.” 

Staffan has already started selling his lead-free bullet in several countries, and in the autumn of 2022 he also developed his own ammunition. The next step will be for other manufacturers to start using the bullet as a lead-free alternative in their ammunition. 

“Given that the ban is already enforced in some regions, it feels great to have a bullet that I believe is better than traditional lead bullets – and that we have been able to demonstrate this with the help of an impartial operator,” says Staffan. 

Energy gases are important not least in the transport sector, which aims to be fossil-free by 2030. Hydrogen can, for example, be used in fuel cells, which is a clean technology with water vapor as the only residual product. Biogas and biomethane also have many advantages in the transition. However, if the gas used is not of the correct composition or purity, it can cause operational problems and serious damages.

“Gas accounts for 20 percent of energy in Europe today but have an even greater potential. In addition to the environmental aspects, Europe can also become more independent by producing more biogas and biomethane instead of importing natural gas. At the same time, chemical analyses of energy gases is a relatively new field that has only developed properly in the last ten years”, says Karine Arrhenius, researcher at RISE who works with chemical analyses and development of quality-assured measurement for energy gases.

Composition and purity requirements

For each area of use, there are specifications with requirements on the quality, composition, and purity of the gas. These requirements exist to protect health or equipment, but also to allow the systems to function optimally. To ensure that the gas meets the requirements, chemical analyses, and quality-assured measurements are required.

“This in turn requires reference material, quality-assured sampling, standards and of course, analysis methods”, says Karine Arrhenius.

Laboratory comparisons important for quality

A large part of the development of these methods and standards takes place in collaboration with European colleagues in projects that RISE both participates in and coordinates. RISE has been involved in developing new ISO standards that are expected to be published next year and has been involved in developing a platform with an overview of various European laboratories that offer services linked to energy gases. RISE both participates in and arranges European laboratory comparisons, which are important for maintaining quality in the laboratory. The participating laboratories analyse a reference gas with a known composition and purity. The results are then compared.

“These comparisons are the best way to show the laboratory’s ability and reliability. It is also a requirement for accreditation to participate in such comparisons. Right now, we are organising two comparisons, one with hydrogen with 13 participating laboratories, and one with biomethane.

In addition to chemical measurements, RISE also works with measurements of gas flow, which is needed in areas such as calibrating flow meters at gas stations, and with testing sensors to be able to handle the gases in a safe way. The sensors can be used to trigger alarms, activate ventilation, or shut down systems to prevent flammable levels of gases. During the production of energy gases, carbon dioxide is also formed which needs to be taken care of, either by storing it (CCS, Carbon Capture and Storage) or by using it (CCUS, Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage).

“We could, for example, use the carbon dioxide produced in greenhouses or to produce carbonated drinks. Here, too, there are specifications that require chemical analyses”, says Karine Arrhenius.

New questions and problems

Most measurements and analyses take place in a laboratory environment, but field measurements also occur. Some measurements take place online, i.e., while a production process is in progress. For Karine Arrhenius, this means a never-ending stream of questions and problems that need to be solved.

“We develop new analysis methods through new research, which creates new services for customers, new services bring new customers who have new questions. I have sometimes wondered when there will be a point where no new questions can be found, but it doesn't seem to be coming. There are new gases to be analysed, new mixtures, new standardisation needs, new methods to be developed”, says Karine Arrhenius.