Re: Sauna/Skin contamination

[mail15077@pop.net]

Theoretically it should work well, HOWEVER you would have to make sure that the 
individual got into a warm shower very quickly.  The risk is from the 
contamination or particle becoming lodged in an open pore (from the heat of the 
sauna), and then having the pore contract (due to the cooler environment 
outside the sauna) and trap the contamination in the skin.

In practice, my experience with such attempts at decontamination are that a 
shower with the proper water temperature is just as effective with less 
possibility of trapping the contamination in the pores of the skin as a dry 
sauna or other "sweat out" methods.

But as an additional thought, a steam sauna would probably be effective as the 
condensing steam would help flush off the contamination as it was released from 
the pores.

Jim Barnes, CHP
Radiation Safety Officer
Rocketdyne Division; Boeing North American

===============================================
    > Radsafers,
    > 
    > I would like to here the opinion on the effect of sauna(dry-type) in 
    > removing a skin contamination by radioactive materials such as hot 
    > particles.
    > Are there any regulations regarding to this matter ?
    > Any other information would be highly appreciated.
    > You may respond to my personal E-mail address : 
    > k201ckw@pinpoint.kins.re.kr
    > Thank you very much in advance.
    > 
    > Kun-Woo CHO, KINS
    > k201ckw@pinpoint.kins.re.kr
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    > 
    >