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Re: Chemical state of Ir-192 sources





Dear Dr Carol Marcus,



Very interesting question, Please GO TO  

http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/ir.html for some information. 

There, besides technical data, it is also the meaning of the name Iridion, 

from the Latin word iridis (rainbow)

See also http://www.ir100.com/MSDS.htm



About the Scenario using Ir-192 in a dirty bomb, this is an old question, 

about 5 years before September 11. You can find, also in the NET. Look 

example at http://www.home.eznet.net/~kenberry/materials/RADEX.htm



¨The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued an alert and shares 

information with key local, state, and federal staff on Tuesday, March 18, 

1997. A terrorist group has phoned the St. Paul Police Department stating 

that their group has built a radioactive bomb and will detonate it at a 

public facility unless their demands are met within 48 hours....¨



The IAEA call the attention to the chemical form in the Site

http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Press/Focus/RadSources/index.shtml



¨As with any explosion, people in the immediate vicinity could be killed or 

injured by the blast itself. The dispersed radioactive material could lead 

to exposure of people in the vicinity. It is difficult to predict the level 

of exposure of persons, as this would depend on many factors such as the 

physical and chemical form of the radioactive material, size and type of 

explosive and proximity of persons to the blast. In all likelihood, the most 

severe tangible impacts of a dirty bomb would be the social disruption 

associated with the evacuation, the subsequent clean-up of contaminated 

property and the associated economic costs.¨

I agree with the IAEA statement considering my experience in the 

radiological Accident in Goiania and hypothetical Scenarios with sealed 

sources in industrial fire, up to 1200 C)



Jose Julio Rozental

jrozental@hotmail.com

Spain until 02-10-2002





>From: "Carol S. Marcus" <csmarcus@ucla.edu>

>Reply-To: "Carol S. Marcus" <csmarcus@ucla.edu>

>To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

>Subject: Chemical state of Ir-192 sources

>Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 15:14:17 -0700

>

>Dear Radsafers:

>

>I am interested in knowing the chemical state of Ir-192 in sealed sources, 

>and any thoughts on what would happen chemically to the Ir-192 if it was 

>exploded as a radiologic dispersion device.  I am trying to estimate 

>biodistribution and kinetics if such Ir-192 were to be inhaled, ingested, 

>or introduced traumatically (e.g. contaminated shrapnel).  Anyone having 

>any information on biodistribution and kinetics is requested to share it 

>with me.

>

>The California Statewide Medical and Health Disaster Exercise on Nov 14th 

>includes an Ir-192 RDD scenario, and I have been asked to critique our 

>Exercise Guidebook.  Ir-192 in an RDD is a reasonable scenario, and I need 

>to know this anyway.

>

>If, for example, the Ir-192 is chemically just solid metal, and some of it 

>is converted to insoluble oxide in the explosion, then we would worry about 

>pulmonary and pulmonary lymph node deposition.  Little would ionize and get 

>into the blood and other organs.  Ingested Ir-192 would just pass through.  

>If, on the other hand, much of it were to be in a soluble form, the 

>biodistribution and kinetics would be entirely different.

>

>Many thanks for any help you can give me.

>

>Ciao, Carol

>

>Carol S. Marcus, Ph.D., M.D.

><csmarcus@ucla.edu>

>

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