Re: Contaminated Crates?

[Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 11:44 21.02.1997 -0600, you wrote:
>As there are "no stupid questions" are the workers at the lumber mills	
>exposed to increased levels of radiation from processing timber which	
>contains radioactive material ?  Is there an inhalation hazard ?	
>
>steve at umcp
>hand@wam.umd.edu
>

Steve,

This is by no means a stupid question. In the case of paper or cellulose
factories the external radiation from the timber itself is no problem. But
during processes liquids which dissolve the lignin is of cost and
environmental reasons recycled. In these liquids Cs-137 and Sr-90 are
concentrated. There have been papers published by Elis Holm (Lund, Sweden)
and a Spanish group from Sevilla. I do not remember the doses actually
exhibited, but they sure were not very high - otherwise I would remember. If
you really are interested in these papers I could look for them.

Franz
Schoenhofer
Habichergasse 31/7
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e-mail:		schoenho@via.at