Contamination in Refrig/Freezers

[10525kfb@ibm.cl.msu.edu (Kristin Erickson)]

Hello, Radsafers:

A further comment on the tritium contamination in refrigerators/freezers.
We have found tritium not only in the drip tray and inside the storage
areas, but also in the innards of the mechanical areas.  In fact, we
currently have 3 refrigerators in our waste building awaiting removal of
hot parts and components before they may be salvaged out.  Another fine
point is that the floor and local areas near these kinds of equipment are
sometimes contaminated, due to spill over and/or evaporation of drip trays.
These are the kinds of problems we are both glad and sorry we find.
<grin>

By the way, we have "cooked up" and excellent decon. solution that is
especially good for tritium and other nuclides that resist decontamination.
We call it "Joy Juice" because it saved us from replacing 3 air monitoring
pumps at a cost of several thousand dollars!  It is a "throw together", not
precision measurement recipe, as follows:

Kristin's Joy Juice

Rad. Decontam. Detergent (Multiterge, etc., any works)                 100 ml.
Triton (Any kind; we use Triton X-100)                                  50 ml.
EDTA                                                                    20 g.
QS to 1 liter with DD H2O (Distilled water)


This recipe may be made in large volume, and we keep it around all the time
for soaking parts, cleaning equipment, floors, etc.  It does not damage
things, and leaves no residue.  It is also not hazardous.

I have used it to decontaminate many things over the years, including a
biological safety cabinet (very expensive equipment, as you probably know)
by pouring this stuff on liberally, laying paper towels on it, leaving
overnight.  Voila, contamination gone (over 400K of P32, "not removable")!

Hope this helps you; I've shared this recipe with many, and have gotten
rave results!

Kristin

************************************************************************
Kristin Erickson, Radiation Safety Officer
Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety
C124 Research Complex-Eng.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
Telephone: (517) 355-5008   Fax: (517)353-4871   Email: 10525kfb@msu.edu
************************************************************************