Re: Potassium Iodide [K-40 content 44% of KCl]

[Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net>]

Hi all:

Bear in mind the atomic weight of KCl is 74.5, so there are 525 g K per kg KCl. 

This equates to about 448,000 pCi K-40 per kg of KCl [or 448 pCi K-40 per g of 

KCl]. This makes KCl such a neat check source. You can fill a Marinelli beaker 

with KCl [buy it at any BJ's wholesale club in the past as pure KCl quick melt 

for about $10 per 40 pound containers]



By comparison, the atomic weight of KI is 166, so there are "only" 235 g K per kg 

KI. This equates to "only" about 201,000 pCi K-40 per kg of KI [or 200 pCi K-40 

per g of KI].



Accordingly, KI would have only about 44% of the K-40 content per gram of KI vs 

the K-40 per gram of KCl and a proportionately lesser instrument response per 

gram of material. Nevertheless, 200 pCi K-40 per gram of KI is still not too 

shabby as generally available radioactive materials go, and Susan's point is 

still quite valid.



Stewart Farber

farbersa@optonline.net

================= 







12/19/02 8:39:11 AM, Susan L Gawarecki <loc@icx.net> wrote:



>As I recall, potassium chloride is used as an example of natural

>radioactivity because of the K-40.  I expect there would be a similar

>instrument response to KI.  So, will people take a radioactive pill to

>protect them from "deadly" radiation?  Publicize this fact just right,

>and you could crash the fear-based KI-pill market.

>







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