Re: Radioactive material in film developer

["William CTR Kolb"<William.CTR.Kolb@faa.gov>]

I suspect it's the potassium-40 you are seeing. 20 pCi/gm around potassium 
compounds is not unusual and 450 pCi/gm is possible.

bill
william.ctr.kolb@faa.gov

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Radioactive material in film developer 
Author:  <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu> at SMTPGate
Date:    07/11/2000 9:37 PM


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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