MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Subject: If Americium soirce was moderately damaged how much would be respirable?

Date: Mon Jul 2 19:17:02 2007
Posted by james
Grade level: undergrad School: NYIT
City: New York State/Province: N.Y. Country: usa
Area of science: Physics
ID: 1183429022.Ph
Message:

I read an article in NUREG about a teacher taking out an americium source from a
smoke detector.  All post etc I read talk about doses by ingestion.  If somehow
that teacher accidenly scratched or moderately damaged that americium source
would there be an inhalation hazard.  I remember in college someone mentioned
that in order to be resirable that particle had to be under 5 microns. Now I
know the americium is electroplated etc on a 1 micron layer gold to silver with
a 2 micron cover of gold or palladium, really thin!.  So if the source was
scratched how much do you think would be repirable?  And would it produce a
dangerous dose?  Someone told me in class that it would be trivial because only
a very small amout would be repirable, just as swallowing would be trvial
because of lack of absorption by the gut.


Re: If Americium soirce was moderately damaged how much would be respirable?

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