Re: Chemical Form of Strontium Sources

[Michael Kay <makay@teleport.com>]

To my knowledge, Strontium Titanate was developed at the US Naval Radiological
Defense Laboratory in San Francisco, CA during the early 60s. Its purpose was to
power SNAP (Systems for Nuclear Auxillary Power) sources used in weather equipment
air dropped in the arctic and underwater listening devices (brought to popular
attention in the 80s with the publication of Hunt for Red October).

The advantage of strontium titanate is its extremely low solubility product. This
was designed to pass through an organism with a probability of only one or two
atoms of Sr-90 being absorbed.

Michael A. Kay, ScD, CHMM
Student Trainee Chemistry, USNRDL 1960 - 1965

Bob Hearn wrote:

> Strontium chloride is common, and I believe strontium carbonate has been used.
>
> Bob Hearn
> rah@america.net
>
> At 04:34 PM 4/6/98 -0500, David W. Lee wrote:
> >Dear Radsafers:
> >
> >
> >       My question is directed primarily to anyone familiar with the actual
> manufacture of radioactive strontium sources.  Specifically, what is the
> typical chemical form of the strontium?  Is it typically strontium
> chloride, strontium oxide, etc.?  Thank-you.  Best regards  David
> >
> >
> >
> ><bigger>David W. Lee
> >
> ></bigger>Los Alamos National Laboratory
> >
> >Radiation Protection Services Group (ESH-12)
> >
> >PO Box 1663, MS K483
> >
> >Los Alamos, NM  87545
> >
> >PH:   (505) 667-8085
> >
> >FAX:  (505) 667-9726
> >
> >lee_david_w@lanl.gov
> >
> >