[ RadSafe ] Thorium in gas lamps

[NIXON, Grant]

According to NCRP 95, mantles in gas-lanterns and gas yard lights
consist almost entirely of the oxides of thorium (95%), magnesium,
aluminum, cerium, beryllium, and silicon. Swallowing/ingesting a mantle
would net you (in a 50-year dose commitment) 2 mSv (200 mrem) to the
whole body, 9 mSv (900 mrem) to the bone and 0.8 uSv (0.08 mrem) to the
lungs.

Grant


Grant I. Nixon, Ph. D., P. Phys.
Radiation Physicist
Engineering
MDS Nordion
Tel: (613) 592 3400 ext. 2869
Fax:( 613) 592 7423

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Conklin, Al (DOH)
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 10:34 AM
To: John Andrews; Mark Sonter
Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Thorium in gas lamps

I found a hardware store in Pasco, Washington (Griggs for those of you
in the Tri-Cities) where most of the mantles were radioactive. I bought
25 packages (two mantles each) for $1.18 per package (manufactured by
Cabin Creek- I bought all those they had) and 5 made by Stansport for
$1.49 a package. (I could have bought 100 or more if I had the money
with me at the time.) We're working with hospitals in the Pacific
Northwest in decontamination drills, and as you know, these things work
great for that. There were a couple of other manufacturers with hot
mantles also. I don't remember which ones, but theirs were a little more
expensive, so I stuck with the two I mentioned above.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of John Andrews
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 5:57 PM
To: Mark Sonter
Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Thorium in gas lamps

Mark Sonter wrote:

> Does anyone out there in Radsafeland know roughly how much thorium is 
> in a Coleman or similar lamp mantle?
>
> Mark Sonter
>
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Not much any more.  Most mantles currently being produced do not contain
thorium.  I keep one for a source.  I won't say where it is.

John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee
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