Re: Brazil Nut Radwaste Standard

[Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net>]

Jerry & Radsafe:



>From the HPS Ask the Expert, there is information on the radioactivity of Brazil 

Nuts. See:



http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q1147.html



>From the above reference:

Total alpha = 14 picoCuries/g  [14 pCi/g]

Ra-226  Ranges from 0.16 to 3.5 pCi/g  



There appears to be an inadvertant error in units in the post below which is high 

by a factor of several hundred at a minimum.  It appears that Brazil nuts have 

been actually measured to have Ra-226 content of up to 3.5 picoCuries/g  [and 

total alpha of 14 pCi/g (= 0.014 nCi/g)], not 3 nanoCuries/g [3,000 pCi/g] as 

stated below.



Stewart Farber

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



6/6/03 7:58:52 PM, Jerry Cohen <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET> wrote:

>    Several years ago, I was involved in a DOE sponsored study to determine

>a reasonable

> de minimis, or BRC level for radioactive waste. One of the conclusions was

>that any waste

>containing less than 1.0 nCi/g (regardless of the specific radionuclides)

>could be considered essentially non-radioactive and disposed of accordingly.

>Although this conclusion may have been scientifically sensible, it was

>politically incorrect and as such, was ignored.

>    One on the many irrationalities in radiation safety regulations is

>allowing the consumption of Brazil nuts that typically have a natural

>radioactivity content in excess

>of 3.0 nCi/g. Apparently, it's OK to eat them, but not to dispose of them in

>landfills.

>If we were to set a de minimis  radioactvity in landfill standard of <3.0

>nCi/g, based on the Brazil nut, I wonder if it would it be accepted? I doubt

>it, but it might be fun to try.

>

>







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