Re: FDA likely to approve meat irradiation-Spokesman -Reply

[Jim Hardeman <Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us>]

Also Co-60 has a chemical form advantage ... Co-60 is
usually found as cobalt oxide or cobalt metal ... not very
water soluble. Cs-137, however, is usually found as cesium
chloride ... VERY soluble in water, as we had the unfortunate
distinction of finding out here in Georgia when a Cs-137
capsule manufactured at the Hanford Waste Encapsulation
and Storage Facility (WESF) leaked while in use at a
commercial irradiator. 40-50 kCi of water soluble radionuclide
in a "wet-storage, dry-irradiation" irradiator just never seemed
to be a good idea to me. The only disadvantage with Co-60 is
the half-life ... it seems that you're ALWAYS shipping
sources in or out.

Jim Hardeman, Manager
Environmental Radiation Program
Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
4244 International Parkway, Suite 114
Atlanta, GA 30354
(404) 362-2675  fax: (404) 362-2653
Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us

>>> Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu> 10/10/97 13:00 >>>

Co-60 has a big advantage over Cs-137 for irradiating things
as thick as meat because of the higher gamma ray energy
which allows deeper penetration.

Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu