Re: Am-241 smoke detectors

[John Pickering <johnjp@email.sjsu.edu>]

My understanding is the dose to individuals is about 0.0001 mrem/yr.  At
this level I suspect that there are only two hazards worth being concerned
about.
1.  If the smoke detector did not work and you died in a fire.
2.  If the individual try to swallow the detector and could not pass it.

John Pickering
San Jose State University


At 06:28 PM 11/18/97 -0600, you wrote:
>        
>Dear Radsafers:
>
>A friend of mine has recently discovered that he has Am-241 smoke detectors
>in his home and has asked me if it is a safe practice.  I have mentioned to
>him that as far as I know it is.  These units have been used for years and I
>have not heard anything negative about them.  Has anyone in Radsafe land
>heard anything to the contrary?
>
>
>
>
>Art Pérez
>Environmental Health & Safety
>Health Physics
>University of California at Davis
>Davis, California
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