Re: Rad Sources for Workshops

["Jim Hoerner" <jim_hoerner@HOTMAIL.COM>]

>From: BLHamrick@AOL.COM



>Actually, domestically-produced smoke detectors are usually distributed as

>items exempt from regulation, thus the end user can technically do anything

>they want with them, but I would recommend strongly AGAINST taking them

>apart, as with one microcurie of activity, they contain about 167 

>stochastic

>ALIs.



http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf57.htm

Even swallowing the radioactive material from a smoke detector would not 

lead to significant internal absorption of Am-241, since the dioxide is 

insoluble. It will pass through the digestive tract, without delivering a 

significant radiation dose. (Americium-241 is however a potentially 

dangerous isotope if it is taken into the body in soluble form. It decays by 

both alpha activity and gamma emissions and it would concentrate in the 

skeleton.)



Regards,

Jim



--

Hold the door for the stranger behind you.  When the driver a 

half-car-length in front of you signals to get over, slow down.  Smile and 

say "hi" to the folks you pass on the sidewalk.  Give blood.  Volunteer.





_________________________________________________________________

Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. 

http://www.hotmail.com



************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/