Re: Bugs May Spread Radioactivity - this is new news?

[dsimpson@unlnotes01.unl.edu]

"Critter" releases of radioactive materials have been going on for some
time.  One of the more interesting ones happened a few years ago in Oak
Ridge when a frog was run over at the National Lab.  The pancaked frog was
discovered to be radioactive and as a result, an official Radiation Safety
Bulletin dated July 1991 was issued.  It read as follows:

"CONTAMINATED FROGS

Frogs exhibiting detectable levels of radiation, some dead and some alive,
have been found in areas on the South Central portion of the Laboratory
(mainly south of Building 3517 and East of Building 3544).  They are
thought to have migrated from the 3524 retention pond where they hatched.
The levels of radiation present are not excessive and do not constitute a
significant threat of exposure to others but are well above background and
the frogs should be treated with the same degree of caution as other low
level contaminated items.

Should a frog "hop" into or be found in your area you should:

1.  Contact health physics and have the frog checked for radioactivity.

2.  Return the frog to the 3524 retention pond if it is alive.

3.  Manage the frog as radioactive waste if it is dead and found by Health
Physics to be emitting detectable levels of radiation."

I still have the original copy of the bulletin that I obtained back then,
and use it occasionally when I am explaining contamination control.

Dave Simpson
RSO
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
dsimpson1@unl.edu


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