Re: Radioactive material in film developer

[BLHamrick@aol.com]

In a message dated 07/11/2000 9:29:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
mlantz33@cybertrails.com writes:

<< Would guess that it might be K-40.>>

That's my first best guess too, based on the constituents.  Potassium, which 
is not artificially enriched in K-40 is not regulated in California...nor, 
would I guess that it would be in any of the other 50 states.

Barbara L. Hamrick
BLHamrick@aol.com
 
 Mike Lantz
 
 Janzow1@aol.com wrote:
 
 > Radsafers:
 >          Does anyone know what in industrial X-ray developer is 
radioactive?
 >
 >          We inadvertantly allowed a 5-gallon tank of a standard industrial
 > X-ray film
 > developer to evaporate to dryness.  Since the location was adjacent to an
 > area in which there may be wipable aloha-active material, we checked the
 > residue (a tan-colored, granular material) for activity prior to disposal,
 > No alpha, but significant beta-gamma, on the order of 35 pCi/gm (1.3 
Bq/gm).
 >            The developer is received as several liquids, which are mixed 
and
 > diluted with water for use.  We mixed a new batch using new materials from
 > sealed bottles (no chance of contaminating these), evaporated a sample to
 > dryness.
 > Essentially the same activity found as above.
 >            The manufacturer states that the developer containes the 
following:
 >                    Part A:  potassium hydroxide and hydroquinone
 >                    Part B:  acetic acid and 1-phenyl3pyrazolidinone
 >                    Part C:  glutaraldehyde
 >
 >             Can anyone tell me what I'm detecting, and/or a legal and 
proper
 > way to dispose of it?
 >
 >         Thanks,
 >            Ed Janzow
 >              janzow1@aol.com >>
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