Re: Low Temperature Asher

[RADPROJECT@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/6/99 1:33:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, JFK6@pge.com
writes:

<< A chemist friend at NIOSH is working with a very old ( 20-25 years) Low
 Temperature Asher (LTA) manufactured by International Plasma Corporation
 (Model #   PM-1640).  This device uses an RF generator and a low pressure
 pure oxygen environment to ash samples.  No manual is available.
 
 Questions for RADSAFE:
 
 Is this unit a high power RF/microwave device?
 
 It has been out of use for quite some time.  Should the device be surveyed
 for leakage?
 
 Should the device and the area be posted?
 
 Any other precautions? >>

Jim:
I used an RF induction heater manufactured by a company called Leco when I was
in grad school [to vaporize mercury off of a silver wire filter] into a gas
stream flowing into a long path AA cell to quantify mercury levels in air. I
recall the manual warned that the RF induction coil could under some
circumstances be a significant source of x-ray exposure, although I can't
recall the details.

I would suggest you consider x-ray generation by the RF tubes and potential
exposure to a user.

Stewart Farber
Public Health Sciences
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