Re: Rad Sources for Workshops

[Dimiter Popoff <tgi@cit.bg>]

>As far as I know, the americium is fixed at the surface of a ceramic matrix.

>How to ingest it without breaking your teeth?



I have seen one smoke-detector 241Am source which is somewhow built

at the bottom of something like a brass well (so the source would

be directed).

 The whole thing had 10-12 mm outside diameter, and ended with a screw

at the rear (if the opening for the source is the front) side.

I suppose one could swallow it - but then I imagine anyone wanting

to swallow such a piece of metal would have much bigger, non-radiation

related problems...

 However, the source seemed not so weak; it was doing a 40 or 50 kCps

gamma through the Be window of a 15% HPGe detector... Being non-medical,

I can only stay astonished that such a source would bring no

health issues if ingested. Are the others talking of a weaker

source or are we really designed to withstand that much? Or even

much more than that?



Dimiter



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Dimiter Popoff

Transgalactic Instruments    http://transgalactic.freeyellow.com





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