[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
RE: Radioactive Minerals Scare
A few years ago, I was called upon to give an abbreviated Rad Worker
Training class to a civilian scientist at a military research facility. As
part of her research, she was going to be using microcurie amounts of
tritium as a tracer, completely contained within a glove box. The young
lady in question was extremely nervous about working with radioactive
materials and it was only at the conclusion of a very long day that she
appeared to be more relaxed with the prospect.
Just as we were leaving, I asked her what she was doing research on in the
containment. Her answer? Sarin.
Perhaps its just about the devils one knows.
R.E. Spencer
> -----Original Message-----
> From: McClure, D. A. 404/371-1971 [SMTP:McClure-DA@Mindspring.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2001 11:53 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: Re: Radioactive Minerals Scare
>
> --=====================_44566064==_.ALT
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
> There is no hope.
>
> In 1970 I went to Georgia Tech as a fresh Ph.D. post doc. Tech had a nice
> 5
> Mw reactor for using thermal neutron capture to populate low energy
> nuclear
> states. I did gamma-gamma coincidence studies.
>
> The reactor went down for three months of upgrade and maintenance the
> summer after I got there. I moved my gamma-ray studies equipment to the
> basement of the physics building and purchased did some studies of
> radioactive materials in micro-curie amounts we obtained from Oak Ridge.
> The theoretical physicists -- cryogenics, biophysics, quantum mechanics --
>
> on the 4th floor brought forth a petition to have my "dangerous
> experiment"
> removed from the physics building because my micro-currie amounts ob beta
> and alpha emitters were going to contaminate the ventilation system and
> give them all cancer. I am serious. The department chairman and finally
> the
> dean of the School of Science determined that for 3 months my experiment
> would be permitted in the basement of the building.
>
> These were educated science doctorate degreed people. I couldn't believe
> it. The event still makes me chuckle when I think about it.
>
> Hope? Maybe after three or four more generations of experience with the
> stuff.
>
> don
>
> At 09:16 PM 2/17/01 -0600, you wrote:
>
> >--part1_2f.111d6757.27c095c2_boundary
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> >
> >Yikes! The British court is outlawing radioactive minerals. Hope the
> >courthouse isn't made of granite! I had an experience with a show &
> tell in
> >my daughter's school. I had them go over their mineral collection with a
> GM,
> >and then explained what they found. That night, one of the mothers
> called me
> >to ask why did I have URANIUM (ohmagod!) in the classroom. I was able to
> >calm her down, but the amazing thing is this woman is a PhD
> epidemiologist at
> >the University of California. Is there any hope at all?
> >
> >In a message dated 2/16/2001 2:08:31 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> >radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu writes:
> >
> > > Radsafe:
> > >
> > > An interesting news article and link is copied below about a major
> museum
> > > in
> > > England facing what could be a sizable fine over radioactive minerals
> on
> > > display. This might appropriately be filed under: "Stop the world, I
> want
> > > to
> > > get off". It will be interesting to see the size of the fines imposed,
> and
> > > learn what levels of radiation exposure and to whom, caused this to be
> a
> > > violation of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulations in
> England.
> > >
> > > Stewart Farber, MS Public Health
> > > Consulting Scientist
> > > Public Health Sciences
> > > 172 Old Orchard Way
> > > Warren, VT 05674
> > >
> >
> >[snip]
>
>
>
>
> |Don McClure 404/371-1971 FAX: 503-907-5526|
> | 1209 Hopkins Ter, Atlanta, GA 30324 |
> --=====================_44566064==_.ALT
> Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
>
> <html>
> There is no hope.<br>
> <br>
> In 1970 I went to Georgia Tech as a fresh Ph.D. post doc. Tech had a nice
> 5 Mw reactor for using thermal neutron capture to populate low energy
> nuclear states. I did gamma-gamma coincidence studies. <br>
> <br>
> The reactor went down for three months of upgrade and maintenance the
> summer after I got there. I moved my gamma-ray studies equipment to the
> basement of the physics building and purchased did some studies of
> radioactive materials in micro-curie amounts we obtained from Oak Ridge.
> The theoretical physicists -- cryogenics, biophysics, quantum mechanics
> -- on the 4th floor brought forth a petition to have my "dangerous
> experiment" removed from the physics building because my
> micro-currie amounts ob beta and alpha emitters were going to contaminate
> the ventilation system and give them all cancer. I am serious. The
> department chairman and finally the dean of the School of Science
> determined that for 3 months my experiment would be permitted in the
> basement of the building.<br>
> <br>
> These were educated science doctorate degreed people. I couldn't believe
> it. The event still makes me chuckle when I think about it.<br>
> <br>
> Hope? Maybe after three or four more generations of experience with the
> stuff.<br>
> <br>
> don<br>
> <br>
> At 09:16 PM 2/17/01 -0600, you wrote:<br>
> <br>
> <blockquote type=cite class=cite
> cite>--part1_2f.111d6757.27c095c2_boundary<br>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"<br>
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit<br>
> <br>
> Yikes! The British court is outlawing radioactive minerals.
> Hope the <br>
> courthouse isn't made of granite! I had an experience with a
> show & tell in <br>
> my daughter's school. I had them go over their mineral collection
> with a GM, <br>
> and then explained what they found. That night, one of the mothers
> called me <br>
> to ask why did I have URANIUM (ohmagod!) in the classroom. I was
> able to <br>
> calm her down, but the amazing thing is this woman is a PhD
> epidemiologist at <br>
> the University of California. Is there any hope at all?<br>
> <br>
> In a message dated 2/16/2001 2:08:31 PM Pacific Standard Time, <br>
> radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu writes:<br>
> <br>
> > Radsafe:<br>
> > <br>
> > An interesting news article and link is copied below about a major
> museum <br>
> > in <br>
> > England facing what could be a sizable fine over radioactive
> minerals on <br>
> > display. This might appropriately be filed under: "Stop
> the world, I want <br>
> > to <br>
> > get off". It will be interesting to see the size of the fines
> imposed, and <br>
> > learn what levels of radiation exposure and to whom, caused this to
> be a <br>
> > violation of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulations in
> England.<br>
> > <br>
> > Stewart Farber, MS Public Health<br>
> > Consulting Scientist<br>
> > Public Health Sciences<br>
> > 172 Old Orchard Way<br>
> > Warren, VT 05674<br>
> > <br>
> <br>
> [snip]</blockquote><br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
> <font color="#008000">|Don McClure 404/371-1971 FAX: 503-907-5526|<br>
> | 1209 Hopkins Ter, Atlanta, GA 30324
> |</font></html>
>
> --=====================_44566064==_.ALT--
>
> ************************************************************************
> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html