[ RadSafe ] BERYLLIUM REQUEST?

[Geo>K0FF]

Beryllium metal  is used in the radiation field for several purposes, mostly 
as an X-Ray  "window" material . It's lightweight
atomic structure is nearly transparent to X-Rays and is therefore used on 
both X-Ray generating equipment and X-Ray
detecting equipment - e.g.  probes such as G-5 FIDLER are available with Be 
windows for an extra cost. The metal is
used in gyroscopes too.


Mixed with an Alpha emitting isotope, such as Am-241, Pu-239, Ra-226, the 
combination becomes a neutron generator.
These are commonly used in  well logging and road construction instruments.

Beryllium alloyed with copper is a common aircraft and spacecraft material.

As an engineering metal, Be alloys are being used in an ever increasing rate 
in military, commercial and consumer products. Follows
is a brief list of applications that would not at first glance contain a 
potentially toxic material:
Cell phone battery contacts.
Audio Jacks.
Power jacks.
Memory card connectors.
SIM cards.
EMI shielding.
Likewise beryllium/aluminum is a unique alloy, called  AlBeMet®.

BeO, beryllium oxide ceramics have a unique combination of electrical and 
thermal characteristics. Being an excellent high R.F. and
high voltage insulator, while at the same time being an excellent thermal 
conductor, BeO is invaluable for high tech and high power electronics
applications. Virtually all high power  radio transmitting tubes have BeO 
insulation. In other applications BeO blocks are used as a
thermal transfer medium between some hot part that is at high electrical
potential and a heat sink which is at ground potential.

BeO is routinely used in:
Automotive electronics
Medical diagnostic machinery
Power Technology
Aerospace
Avionics
Wireless telecommunications
Lasers

While an office worker or med tech might be in the vicinity of beryllium on 
a daily basis, it is
doubtful that any kind of exposure would ever happen. On the other hand, 
since Be pervades
our modern technical apparatus, someone in a machine shop, manufacturing 
facility, scrap yard, landfill, recycler, incinerator etc. environment
could easily come into contact with the element during some destructive 
process being carried out on said apparatus.

Inhalation is the worst type of Be exposure.
If it is suspected in a home or business, that becomes a job for the EPA (if 
in USA).


George Dowell
NLNL
New London Nucleonics Lab
GEOelectronics at netscape.com







----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Battle" <kudzuvine at cableone.net>
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 7:38 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] BERYLLIUM REQUEST?




Subject: BERYLLIUM REQUEST?


IF ANYONE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON STEVE DORAN'S REQUEST, PLEASE CONTACT HIM 
AT HIS EMAIL ADDRESS: sldoran at earthlink.net AND CC ME FOR MY OWN 
EDUCATION!!!   MANY THANKS,  ED





I need some assistance. I am working a file where a female indicates she has 
been exposed to a large dose of Beryllium and test results have concluded 
that she in fact has the substance in her system. Beryllium is not being 
used in her work place. However from what I have been advised it is used in 
all kinds of things we come in contact with every day in our homes and 
dentists even use it.



What we are trying to do is locate and expert with the appropriate equipment 
and background to contract in California to perform tests in her home and 
try to track the source of her contamination. If in fact it is not just self 
inflicted or a fluke.



Further I am trying to find out if equipment even exists that can check to 
see if the air she is breathing in her home is contaminated with the stuff. 
The long and the short of it is, I just need to be pointed in the right 
direction, to track this thing down and further find out what is possible 
and what is not when dealing with this substance. IE can it be detected if 
it is in the air, and is it possible to be contaminated breathing the fumes 
it lets off, does it have to be ingested to be harmful. I just do not want 
to waste time barking up the wrong tree.



Take care, my friend.





Steve Doran






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