Re: Alpha sources designed NOT to emit alphas

[Ninni Jacob <njacob@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu>]

On Fri, 9 Sep 1994, THOMAS OBRIEN wrote:

> Has anyone had experience with the NRC license condition concerning the
> leak testing of sealed sources that are alpha emitters (Pu, U, Np) but not 
> designed to emit alphas.  These would be exempt from leak testing per the 
> license condition, but I am not comfortable with how (and if) it applies to 
> PuBe and AmBe sources and encapsulated Pu sources.
> 
We have Pu-Be sources that we leak test only once in six months and so far
have not had a problem with the regulators.
We also have a radium source that we leak test quarterly, since it is
"designed to emit alphas."
Ninni Jacob