Transporting Wipes

["Roy A. Parker" <70472.711@CompuServe.COM>]

Let me attempt to address these issues in reverse order.
 
1. >Please, what  is the  DOT reference  for the  0.002 microcuries  per
   gram?
 
   49 CFR  173.403(y) Radioactive  material means  any material having a
   specific activity  greater than  0.002 microcuries  per gram  (uCi/g)
   (see definition of specific activity).
 
   This is  obtained from  IAEA Safety  Series No. 6 Regulations for the
   Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 1985 Edition as amended 1990.
 
   It should  be noted  that in  the recently published successor to the
   above reference,  IAEA Safety  Series ST-1  Regulations for  the Safe
   Transport of  Radioactive  Material  1996  Edition  that  radioactive
   material exempt  from transport  regulations is  based on  a specific
   activity (Bq/g)  for each  individual radionuclide  and  on  a  total
   activity (Bq)  for each  consignment,  which  means  any  package  or
   packages or load of radioactive material presented by a consignor for
   transport.   (This new  definition is  going to cause some problems.)
   It will  probably be  at  least  a  year  or  two  before  this  hits
   regulations and much longer than that for the US.
 
2. >If you know the weight of the filters and estimate the activity with
   >an appropriate  survey meter,  and are  confidant you are below this
   >value.ypur worries are over
 
   This is an incorrect interpretation.  Applying the above approach one
   could place  almost any  activity in  the  hole  of  a  large  enough
   container such  that the total activity divided by the total mass was
   below 2  nCi/g and  say that  it is  not radioactive material for the
   purpose of transportation.
 
   The  above   definition  of   radioactive  material   references  the
   definition for specific activity:
 
     173.403(aa)  Specific  activity  of  a  radionuclide,  means  the
     activity of  the radionuclide per unit mass of that nuclide.  The
     specific activity  of a  material in  which the  radionuclide  is
     essentially uniformly  distributed is  the activity per unit mass
     of the material.
 
3. In response to the general question about transport of wipes.
 
   a. Transporting radioactive  material in a private vehicle means that
      the individual  is a  private carrier  and is  subject to the same
      requirements  applicable   U.  S.   Department  of  Transportation
      requirements as if the individual were a commercial carrier.
 
   b. The easiest  way to  transport the  wipes will  be as "Radioactive
      Material, Excepted Package - Limited Quantity of Material, n.o.s.,
      UN2910."   This will  require at  least  some  assessment  of  the
      activity on  the wipes  using portable  instrumentation.   If  the
      nuclides are  not know  use gross  alpha  and  beta  counting  and
      Table 10 in  49 CFR  173.433(g) to  establish the  A2 value.   The
      limited quantity  value may then be derived from Table 7 in 49 CFR
      173.425.   (When mailing wipes the activity must not exceed 10% of
      the limited  quantity value  and the  below requirements  are  not
      applicable; and the mailable container must be sturdy.)
 
   c. The wipes must be in an inner package marked "Radioactive" and the
      outer package  must meet  the general  packaging standards  49 CFR
      173.410.   The applicable  excepted package notice specified in 49
      CFR 173.422  must be  in, on  or with  the package.   The  maximum
      surface level of the package must not exceed 0.5 mrem/hr.
 
Roy A. Parker, Ph.D.
Radiation Physics Consultant to
Federal Express Corporation
E-Mail: 70472.711@compuserve.com
Tel: 504-924-1473
Fax: 504-924-4269
-------------( Forwarded computer archived letter follows )-------------
    26-Mar-97 15:00 CST
Sb: Transportation of Wipes for Removable Contamination
Fm: Pamela Hubley > INTERNET:Pamela_Hubley@millipore.com
 
 
Hello Radsafers,
 
 I am in need of some assistance from someone who is familiar with DOT
regulations for transportation of radioactive materials.
 
 I would like to be able to collect some wipes for removable contamination at
one location, and transport them to another location to be analyzed for the
presence of  beta and gamma emmitters.  The location in which the wipes would
be collected is a lab where H-3, C-14, S-35, P-32, I-125, and I-129 were
handled in small quantities in the past.  The lab has not been used for over
one year.
 
 While I do not expect there to be significant removable contamination on the
wipes I collect, I cannot quantitate that activity without transporting the
wipes to another location for analysis.  Any guidance which you can provide on
proper packaging and labeling of  this material (for transport in my car if
that's allowable) would be appreciated.
 
 PLEASE RESPOND TO ME DIRECTLY, NOT TO THE ENTIRE RADSAFE LIST.
 
 Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
 
  Pamela Hubley
  Health and Safety Engineer
  Millipore Corporation
  EMAIL: pamela_hubley@millipore.com
 
-------------( Forwarded computer archived letter follows )-------------
 
    26-Mar-97 17:33 CST
Sb: RE: Transportation of Wipes for Removable Contamination
Fm: INTERNET:churchw@woods.uml.edu
 
 
DOT does not regulate any radioactive material which is less than .002 nCi/g.
If you know the weight of the filters and estimate the activity with an
appropriate survey meter, and are confidant you are below this value.ypur
worries are over Warren Church
 UMass Lowell
 Churchw@woods.uml.edu
If this information is not to your liking blame my boss. He lets me use this
machine.
 
-------------( Forwarded computer archived letter follows )-------------
 
    26-Mar-97 19:35 CST
Sb: re: RE: Transportation of Wipes for Removable Contamination
Fm: INTERNET:JHageman@swri.edu
 
 
>DOT does not regulate any radioactive material which is less than .002 nCi/g.
>Its not 0.002 nanocuries per gram, but 0.002 microcuries per gram
 
 
Please, what is the DOT reference for the 0.002 microcuries per gram?