Re: Volatility of Americium -Reply

[kg1@cosmail1.ctd.ornl.gov (Kurt Geber)]

To receive DOT special form designation (49 CFR 173.469), sealed sources
must pass the 800 degree C heat test with negligible release of radioactive
material. 
You can check Tables 1 and 4 in ANSI N43.6 "Sealed Radioactive Sources,
Categorization," to see what temperature tests normal form sealed sources
must pass for typical uses.

Kurt Geber
kg1@ornl.gov



At 01:14 PM 7/18/96 -0500, Barty Simonton wrote:
>I have seen several moisture density gages with Am-Be sources that
>have been through severe fires (enough to melt away all the outer casing
>and inner shielding, leaving only the seeds laying in the ashes).  The
>Am-Be sources have remained intact with no detectable removable
>contamination.
>
>>>> John E. Aperans <aperans@ja.dna.mil> 07/18/96 12:51 >>>
>Greetings to all:
>
>I am trying to work through an improbable scenario here.  If a fire broke
>out in an area where Am-241 sealed sources were stored, how much (if
>any) of the Am-241 would be lost to the atmosphere and how much
>would remain in the ashes?  
>
>Thanx in advance,
>John E. Aperans aperans@ja.dna.mil
>
>
>
>