RE: Radium Found

[7pe <7pe@ornl.gov>]

Darn,
Just when I thought I had this decay series thing figured out I'm told that 
radium and radon have no relationship. Someone needs to tell EPA so they can 
rethink their rule on radon in water! Oh well, back to the books!

This isn't to imply that the levels aren't significant or that there isn't a 
problem (maybe, maybe not), but this kind of gaffe doesn't make me have much 
confidence in this reporter, although I do think the Washington Post is a 
great paper in general.
 
BTW, those home filters the reporter refers to that are so good at getting the 
radium (and other metals) can themselves become a source of exposure 
(including gamma) from concentrating the radium and progeny in the filter.  
Industrial filters can become hot enough that they need to be disposed of as 
low level rad waste, even though they are NORM by pedigree.


Phil Egidi
ORNL/GJ
7pe@ornl.gpv


>
>http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9839-2000Jul19.html
>
>Radium Found In Hundreds of Arundel [Anne Arundel County, Maryland]
>Wells
>
>By Matthew Mosk
>Washington Post Staff Writer


>
>Prolonged exposure to the radioactive substance--which bears no relation
>to the commonly known, airborne carcinogen
>radon--can cause bone cancer.

>

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