Re: Household radioactive materials?

[BFLOOD@SLAC.Stanford.EDU (Bob Flood)]

Some older homes have uranium-bearing glaze on ceramic tiles. There is a
fellow here who has a kitchen countertop that yielded 1,600 mrem shallow
dose in 110 days (TLD facedown on the counter).

He has a similar tile in one bathroom, also.


>I think some ceramic items (decorative plates, etc) can be radioactive. I
>don't know if the radio-isotopes are in the clay or in the glaze materials.
>I guess that the ocurrence of radioactive material in such items must vary
>widely according to their origin.
>
>>>I am going to be giving a presentation next week on radioactive materials
>>>in the household.  Can people please give some examples of what can be fou=
>nd?
>>
>>Depends on the household.
>>
>>Mostly, I'd think of tritium/promethium watches, compasses and "procured"
>>airplane nav devices, lantern mantles (thorium impregnated), and americium
>>smoke detectors.
>>
>>This is, actually, the list of exempt sources in the Colorado Regulations.
>>
>>Then there's radon and progeny in the basement, and all the fallout on the
>>tobacco leaves in cigarettes.  And the infamous K-40 in bananas.
>>
>I think some ceramic items (decorative plates, etc) can be radioactive. I
>don't know if the radio-isotopes are in the clay or in the glaze materials.
>I guess that the ocurrence of radioactive material in such items must vary
>widely according to their origin.
>
>Colette Tremblay
>Recherches en sciences de la vie et de la sant=E9
>Pavillon Charles-Eug=E8ne-Marchand
>Universit=E9 Laval Qu=E9bec QC
>Canada  G1K 7P4
>T=E9l: (418)656-2893
>=46ax: (418) 656-7176
>Internet: coltremb@rsvs.ulaval.ca
>
>
>
Bob Flood
Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are mine alone.
(415) 926-3793
bflood@slac.stanford.edu