[ RadSafe ] Stack Emission Limits

[Otto Raabe]

February 7, 2007

10 CFR Part 20 sets annual average limitation for stack emissions in the 
United States.  For example, for carbon-11 monoxide, the annual average 
concentration is given as 2E-6 microcuries per milliliter of air. [Sorry 
about the American units.] .

My question concerns a brief ultra-high concentration emission that may 
occur only occasionally and last only a few seconds. Is there a peak limit 
for such an emission? I can always run my exhaust fans for a year to get 
the average down to the allowed annual average, but even if the exhaust 
fans were turned off after an emission event there is no real difference in 
potential exposure risk.  But it seems that I can meet the release limit by 
simply running my fans while there are no emissions.

Comments please.

Otto

**********************************************
Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
Center for Health & the Environment
University of California
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
E-Mail: ograabe at ucdavis.edu
Phone: (530) 752-7754   FAX: (530) 758-6140
***********************************************