[ RadSafe ] Removing 14C contaminated biowaste from a BSL-3 Facility

Tue Aug 4 13:27:13 CDT 2009

Ironically, running the material through one of the irradiation
facilities would be one way of dealing with the TB before disposal of
the waste.  Straightening out the paperwork and permits is left as an
exercise for the reader.  

Microwave might work.  

How does TB handle cold?  Submerging everything in liquid nitrogen might
do the job.  

Just some thoughts. 

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Anthony Santoro
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:03 AM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Removing 14C contaminated biowaste from a BSL-3
Facility

Dear Radsafe members,

I am looking for information on how others process BSL-3 solid waste
(gloves, paper towels, pipettes, etc.) that is contaminated with
Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a long lived isotope such as 14C or 3H.
Normally, TB waste is autoclaved prior to removal from the BSL-3
facility but I am concerned that autoclaving mixed waste will result in
radioactive
contamination of the autoclave.     

With short lived isotopes, we simply allow the radioactive material to
decay in the BSL-3 and then proceed with autoclaving.  With long lived
isotope/TB waste I am at a loss as to how to process the waste for safe
removal from
the BSL-3 and ultimate disposal as LLRW.   Any thoughts or insights
would be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Anthony Santoro

Radiation Safety Officer

Chemical Waste Manager

Laboratory Safety & Environmental Health

The Rockefeller University 

1230 York Avenue

New York, NY 10065

1-212-327-8226

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