[ RadSafe ] Radiation detectors at ports

[Baratta, Edmond J]

 There are several products that cause detectors to register.  One is any
fruit that contains potassium (Potassium-40) such as bananas.  Ceramic tiles
contain naturally occurring radionuclides.  Concentrated fruit juices and
'wild' mushrooms that contain both Cesium-137 and Potassium-40 from Eastern
Europe and/or the former Republics of the USSR.


Edmond J. Baratta
Radiation Safety Officer
Tel. No. 781-729-5700 x 728
Fax:  781-729-3593
edmond.baratta at fda.gov

The above are my comments and not those of my Agency!

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
Of MosheK at sviva.gov.il
Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 4:23 AM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Radiation detectors at ports

Happy Hanuca to all,

This was posted at May 16:

"Robert Bonner, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told a
Senate subcommittee on homeland security that since the first such devices
were installed in May 2000, they had picked up over 10,000 radiation hits in
vehicles or cargo shipments entering the country. All proved harmless."

Has any one an idea what were the radiation levels caused those hits, was
cargo type considered (bannanas, fertilizers, etc.), what about patients
with residues of radioactive material or implanted barchitherapy sources?

Regards,

Moshe Keren

ISRAEL

 

  

 

 
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