RE k-40

["Sherman, Conrad" <ShermaC@ttemi.com>]

Elizabeth

In reference to your post on glass screens;  Just so you are not surprised;
the same phenomena occurs with porcelain as in toilet fixtures, ceramic
tile, refractory brick (maybe from k-40), bags of fertilizer, people, and so
forth.

I once discovered the highest source of radiation in a room was in rolls of
newsprint bound for the sunday San Francisco paper (Yes Virgina, your paper
is ever so slightly contaminated).  I was puzzled until I saw that it was
being shipped from somewhere north of Hamburg.


Conrad Sherman

Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 09:43:31 -0400 
  From: "Algutifan, Elizabeth K. (ELB) " <elb@bechteljacobs.org> 
  To: "'RADSAFE@ROMULUS.EHS.UIUC.EDU'" <RADSAFE@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu> 
  Subject: The VDT Problem Solved (I think) 
  Message-ID:
<811396C72B51D1119F8F0000F803D6D8104F2955@exchange10.ctd.ornl.gov> 

  A couple of weeks ago I asked for advice on what was causing elevated 
  readings to show up on regular old computer monitor screens. The answer
was 
  so simple it was right under my nose (literally!) - K-40. Those of us not 
  working in the glass industry, and that probably includes most of us on
this 
  listserv, may not be aware that many glass manufacturers use potash, or 
  potassium carbonate, as an alkali ingredient in the glass mixture. Alkali 
  serves to lower the melting point of the silica or whatever they use as
the 
  main ingredient. So, just as a banana is radioactive, so are many of our 
  computer screens! I hope I haven't planted a new fear in society by 
  revealing this information. But maybe it'll give all the activists
something 
  new to focus their radioactive worries on for a while. 
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