RE: FW: IH- Propylene

["Regits, Willie" <wregits@admin1.umaryland.edu>]

It's true!
In fact all or most things made prom petroleum products contain NORM
(naturally occurring radioactive material).  One of the most common NORM
elements is radium and its isotopes.  Radon is a product of radium
decay.  

Generally, the activities of this NORM are very low but detectable with
the appropriate equipment.

An interesting side note, Kodak spent several years researching this as
the plastics they use for film substrates could produce radiation that
could compromise emulsion integrity, decreasing shelf life.



Willie Regits
Radiation Safety Officer
University of Maryland, Baltimore
714 W. Lombard Street
Baltimore MD 21201
410 706-6281  410 706-1520 FAX



	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Gammatron [SMTP:gammat@swbell.net]
	Sent:	Tuesday, March 16, 1999 1:32 PM
	To:	Multiple recipients of list
	Subject:	Re: FW: IH- Propylene

	Eric Cowdrey wrote:
	> 
	> This looks like a job for RADSAFE.
	> 
	> -----Original Message-----
	> From: owner-ih-list@intr.net [mailto:owner-ih-list@intr.net]
On Behalf
	> Of mjame@ag.cyanamid.com
	> Sent: Monday, March 15, 1999 11:34 AM
	> To: ih-list@lists.aiha.org
	> Subject: IH- Propylene
	> 
	> We have received an MSDS from a supplier of propylene, which
states
	> "Industry
	> experience has shown that propylene may contain small amounts
of radon..."
	> The
	> MSDS also cautions about gamma radiation emanating from
equipment containing
	> propylene, as well as the potential to inhale alpha particles
if entering or
	> working on opened equipment.  Unfortunately, the MSDS supplier
cannot
	> provide
	> any insight regarding these statements.  Can the list
enlighten me regarding
	> the
	> presence of radon in propylene?
	> 
	> Thanks in advance.
	> 
	> Mike James
	> American Cyanamid Company
	> Box 817
	> Hannibal, Missouri 63401
	> 573-769-2011
	> 
	> Statements and opinions are my own and do not reflect those of
American
	> Cyanamid
	> or American Home Products.
	> 
	> **************************************************************
	> 
	> Eric Cowdrey
	> Radiation Protection Officer
	> Department of Medical Physics
	> Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation
	> 100 Olivia Street
	> Winnipeg, Manitoba    R3E 0V9
	> CANADA
	> 
	> Tel (204) 787-2166
	> Fax (204) 775-1684
	> e-mail ericc@mctrf.mb.ca
	> 
	>
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	As I understand the process; depending on the geologic zone from
where
	they produce natural gas, radon is present at varying
concentrations.
	If the natural gas is held prior to processing for a significant
lenght
	of time, most of the radon present will decay into it's
particulate
	daughters. If the natural gas is not stored prior to processing
and has
	been produced from a gas field with a high radon concentration,
then as
	they process the gas the radon "cooks off" at about the same
temperature
	as propane.
	It is from the propane that I believe they produce the
propylene.
	This is how the radon daughters can find their way into
propylene
	products.
	You can also find similar radon daughter contaminations in
propane
	tanks. Again, the level of radon daughters plated out to the
inside of
	propane tanks depends on the time the natuaral gas and propane
was
	allowed to be stored. 
	At least that is how I understand it. I am not a chemist.

	C. Gallagher
	Gammat@swbell.net
	
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