Re: Urine Bioassays

["ROB FORREST" <ROB_FORREST.RSO#u#MAILROOM@rsomacserver.rso.upenn.edu>]

                      RE>Urine Bioassays                           4/24/95
The settling solids you refer to are very common in urine samples (just ask any
of the DOE labs that handle uranium).  Not knowing any of your specific
details, is there any possibility that you are getting counts in the S-35
region from K-40.  It has a much high beta energy and I'm not sure of it's
spectrum but if your sample is full of solids and you haven't taken K-40 into
account, it could be a possibility.  I've seen it cause problems in the
pastwith other nuclides.

-Rob Forrest
--------------------------------------
Date: 4/24/95 12:12 PM
To: ROB FORREST
From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Received: by rsomacserver.rso.upenn.edu with SMTP;24 Apr 1995 12:11:33 -0800
Received: from romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu (romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu [128.174.74.24]) by
postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id MAA52752; Mon, 24 Apr 1995
12:07:40 -0500
Received: by romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu (NX5.67d/NeXT-2.0)
	id AA20887; Mon, 24 Apr 95 12:07:33 -0500
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 95 12:07:33 -0500
Message-Id: <9504241703.AA20792@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Errors-To: melissa@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Reply-To: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Originator: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Sender: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Precedence: bulk
From: Mack Richard <MRICHAR%INDYCMS.bitnet@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject:      Urine Bioassays
X-Listserver-Version: 6.0 -- UNIX ListServer by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment:  Radiation Safety Distribution List 

We recently performed a urine bioassay screen for an individual who had used S-
35.  The initial results indicated some activity in urine.  Subsequent urine sa
mples from the same individual were negative, thus we suspected chemoluminescen
ce.  The usual methods to eliminate chemoluminescence (e.g. store sample in dar
k, refrigerate, etc.) failed to eliminate problem.  The sample in question was
very dark in color and considerable sediment settled out (I think I would see a
 urologist).  Anyone have ideas as to the cause of the elevated counts?  Any ot
her methods to reduce chemoluminescence?  Respond either to my e-mail address o
r on radsafe.

Thanx - Mack R.
My employer rarely understands me, so he certainly won't be responsible for wha
t I say!