[ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

Thu Dec 5 13:27:43 CST 2013

Hmmmm,

      So, what's the deal ---> these Co-60  thiefs couldn't read the 
warnings on the Cobalt source??? Ouch.
They actually exposed the source --- how unfortunate.  I guess if they  are 
lucky they will check into a local Hospital with gastrointestinal radiation 
 syndrome or worse.  I guess they walked away from the scene of the  crime. 
 The various forms of radiation sickness are described, I think, in  Eric 
Hall's book on Radiobiology/Biophysics.

    Joe Preisig

In a message dated 12/5/2013 2:09:34 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
jim.hardeman at gmail.com writes:

Oops --  unit error. I meant ~700 R/min. Sorry about that.

Jim

On  Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 1:56 PM, <roseb at gdls.com> wrote:

>  Jim:
>
> Your math is a bit off, the specific gamma-ray constant  for Co-60 is 1.37
> R/hr @ 1 m.  The exposure rate from a 3,000 Ci  Co-60 source would be much
> higher than 700 rad/h at 1 ft (~0.33  m).
>
> Henry
>
> Boyd H. Rose, CM, CIH, CHMM,  EI
> Sr. Safety and Environmental Engineering Specialist
>  Corporate Radiation Safety Officer
> General Dynamics Land  Systems
> 38500 Mound Road
> Mail Zone 436-10-75
> Sterling  Heights , MI 48310-3269
> Tel: 586 825 4503
> Fax: 586 825  4015
> E-mail:  roseb at gdls.com
>
>
>
>
>
> Jim Hardeman  <jim.hardeman at gmail.com>
> Sent by:  radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu
> 12/05/2013 01:47 PM
> Please  respond to
> "The International Radiation Protection \(Health Physics\)  Mailing List"
>  <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
>
>
> To
> "The  International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List"
>  <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
> cc
>
> Subject
>  Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves  likely
> doomed
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  Doomed? Probably so. If I did my math right, they would have been  
looking
> at ~700 rad/h at a foot.
>
> The question is, will  medical personnel be able to make a proper 
diagnosis
> of  ARS?
>
> Jim Hardeman -- retired :-)
> Decatur, GA
>  jim.hardeman at gmail.com
>
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at  1:24 PM, Boing, Lawrence E. <lboing at anl.gov> 
wrote:
>
> >  That's what I read somewhere yesterday as well ....3,000 Curies....
>  >
> > L Boing
> > lboing at anl.gov
> >
>  >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> >  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Lemieux, Bryan P
>  > Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 12:10 PM
> > To: The  International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing 
List
> >  Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious
>  thieves
> > likely doomed
> >
> > I read 3000  Ci.....
> >
> > On Dec 5, 2013 11:39 AM, "Estabrooks, H  Bates (IHK)" <
> > estabrookshb at y12.doe.gov> wrote:
>  > Has anyone revealed/published the activity of the source?
>  >
> > Bates Estabrooks
> > Y-12 NSC
> >
>  > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> >  radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Harrison - CDPHE,  
Tony
> > Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 11:31 AM
> > To:  radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> > Subject: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60  found in Mexico; curious thieves
> > likely doomed
>  >
> > MEXICO CITY - The carjackers who set off international alarm  bells by
> > absconding with a truckload of highly radioactive  material most likely
> had
> > no idea what they were stealing  and will probably die soon from
> exposure,
> > Mexican  authorities said at the end of a brief national scare...
> >
>  > The cobalt-60 was found, removed from its casing, in a rural area  near
> the
> > town of Hueypoxtla about 25 miles from where the  truck was stolen.
> Jimenez
> > suspected that curiosity got  the better of the thieves and they opened
> the
> > box. So far  the carjackers have not been arrested, but authorities
> expect
>  > they will not live long.
> >
> >
>  >
>
>  
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/stolen-cobalt-60-found-in-mexico-curious-thieves-likely-doomed/2013/12/05/262ef990-5d66-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_st
ory.html?hpid=z1
>
>  >
> >
> >
> > Tony Harrison, MSPH
>  >
> > Inorganic & Radiochemistry Supervisor
>  >
> > Laboratory Services Division
> >
> >  Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
> >
> >  8100 Lowry Blvd.
> >
> > Denver, CO  80230
>  >
> > 303-692-3046 |
>  tony.harrison at state.co.us_______________________________________________
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