Re: Help needed - Radiation in Everyday life

[Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net>]

Hi John:

The Ra-226 in Brazil nuts while elevated in terms of pCi/gm is far from a 

level which would show up on any type of beta-gamma survey meter. Measuring 

the radium in nuts would require alpha counting after chemical separation 

and purification of the radium to get any decent data.



A neat item that is available in any welding shop is a TIG welding rod. 

Usually 3 or 4% thoria by weight as I recall.  A welder grinds the tip of 

these to a sharp point liberating a lot of thorium dust which is quite 

radioactive. However, unregulated and not controlled in any manner.



You can find older orange Fiesta ware on eBay, although it is now a 

collectible. You might be able to find a piece that is cracked at a lower 

cost [there are specialists in "psychoceramics" on eBay --i.e.: cracked 

pots who might be able to help].



Stewart Farber

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

On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 14:34:19 -0800, john grant <grantjoh@pacbell.net> 

wrote:



> I volunteer at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto,

> California.  I am planning an exhibit on: Radiation in Everyday Life.

>

> I have an Eberline 14SA meter.  I plan to have this meter set up near

> several everyday sources of radiation, such as, a quantity of Morton

> Lite Salt ( 275 cpm ), a green glass measuring cup ( 200 cpm ), a Kodak

> Cheveron camera made about 1954 ( 400 cpm ) and a Coleman type lantern

> mantel ( 10,000 cpm ).

>

> I am trying to find a piece of Fiesta ware and some decorative tiles to

> add to the collection.

>

> I have heard Brazil nuts mentioned on this list but the nut meats I

> found did not measure above background.  Would nuts with shells read

> higher?  I am looking for things that are clearly above background.

>

> Any suggestions on other, easy to find, items are welcome.

>

> My objective is to show people that radiation is around them all the

> time so if a dirty bomb is used in the area they will not panic over a

> tiny amount of extra radiation.

>

> John Grant

>

>

>

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