[ RadSafe ] So, in terms of health physics, what goes on in television?

[Hansen, Richard]

In the old style TVs with a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), the electron beams strike the metal shadow mask or aperture grill wires, phosphors, and leaded glass. The high-speed electrons penetrating into these objects generate bremsstrahlung radiation (x rays). Current flat screen TVs do not have CRTs and do not generate x rays.

NCRP Report No. 160, Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States, 2009
5.2 Television Receivers and Video Terminals
"Television and display monitors currently utilize display technologies that no longer employ cathode-ray tube components (the source of x-ray emissions). Most of the radiation reported earlier from these sources (NCRP, 1987, Radiation Exposure of the U.S. Population from Consumer Products and Miscellaneous Sources, NCRP Report No. 95) was from [TV] receivers manufactured before the federal performance standard (FDA, 2007, "Performance standards for ionizing radiation emitting products. Television receivers," 21 CFR Part 1020.10) (originally published in 1968) was issued. X-ray emissions from receivers manufactured under the standard are essentially zero. Technologies such as liquid crystal, plasma, and other such display monitors have no potential for generating x rays."

Best regards,
Rick

Rick Hansen
Principal Scientist
CTOS - Center for Radiological/Nuclear Training at the Nevada National Security Site
National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec)
Contractor to the United States Department of Energy
Office: 702-295-7813   Cell: 702-630-1131
hansenrg at nv.doe.gov<mailto:hansenrg at nv.doe.gov>
www.ctosnnsa.org

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