UCI P-32 Chair Incident

["William G. Nabor" <wgnabor@uci.edu>]

RADSAFERS:
   The speculation regarding the P-32 incident at UCI has gotten a
trifle out of hand.  For the record, the lab in question was
authorized to purchase a maximum of 5 mCi (milli...) P-32 cytosine
triphosphate solution per purchase and their protocol calls for the
withdrawal of 0.11 mCi (milli...) per experiment.  Contrary to all
the newspaper reports, this material is a water-like clear liquid
and not a "waxy substance" as reported by the first reporter to
rush into print without checking the facts and perpetuated from
then on.  This says something about the way reporters go about
their business.  The perpetrator (perp) pipetted 15-30 uCi
(micro...) onto the chair of the victim.  The victim most likely
had used the nominal amount of 0.11 mCi (milli) in her experiment
which contaminated the fume hood.  Only a small portion of that
0.11 mCi could have been involved in the hood contamination.  The
perp was exposed to this contamination in the hood.  Radiation
levels everywhere around the hood were less than 200 mR/hr on
contact using a pancake GM counter.  Most were in the few mR/hr
range.  Thus, any beta exposure to the victim would be
substantially less than 200 mR/hr, assuming he put his face right
up against the hottest spot.

   As for direct contamination of the perp, I personally measured
him the next day with a Ludlum Model 3 GM with a pancake probe and
could detect nothing above background.  This included his lips,
since he complained to me about the "tingle".  Any contamination
would have had to have disappeared totally in 24 hours.  No
contamination of lab coats, clothing, etc. was detected for either
the perp or the victim.  This included the clothing and coats
actually worn during the incident.  The victim's car seat was also
checked and nothing above BKG detected.

   The fact that the victim's clothing was not contaminated above
BKG is curious.  We performed an experiment using an identical
chair, 15 mCi of the same P-32 compound in the same spot and a
simulated worker consisting of a lead brick wrapped in a lab coat
rolled over the chair seat.  The radiation level and distribution
in this experimental trial was remarkably similar to the original,
except that the lab coat became contaminated, said contamination
being readily detectible.  Why the victim's coat or dress did not
become contaminated cannot be explained, assuming that she did,
indeed, sit in the chair for several hours.

   As for the charges to which the perp pleaded guilty, I can only
speculate.  Certainly there is no possible justification for
"felony illegal disposal" since there was no disposal, legal or
otherwise.  We still have the chair and what's left of the P-32
under lock and key.  It is among the most secure radioactive
material in our possession.  A case may be made out for storage for
decay, but UCI is authorized to do this.  "The law doesn't have to
make sense"... Tom Clancy

   BTW, I spoke to our state regulator and was assured that they do
not intend to use this conviction as evidence that we disposed of
radioactive material in an unauthorized manner... whew!
**********************************************************************
William G. Nabor
University of California, Irvine
EH&S Office
Irvine, CA,  92697-2725
WGNABOR@UCI.EDU
mailto:wgnabor@uci.edu
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