RADIATION SAFETY TRAINING MANUAL

Radiation Safety Office

130 DeSoto Street
G-7 Parran/GSPH
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Phone:
Fax:
email:
Internet:

Trainm an911.wpd

412-624-2728
412-624-3562
[email protected]
www.radsafe.pitt.edu

Revised 9/11

FOREWORD
All personnel who are working with sources of ionizing radiation are required to be instructed in the basic
principles of radiation protection and the potential risks of ionizing radiation. Radiation Safety Office
personnel provide this generalized instruction as required under Pennsylvania DEP regulations. Authorized
Users are required to provide tim e off the job for this training and should em phasize to their personnel the
im portance of these radiation worker training sessions. The Authorized User is also responsible for
providing the necessary specialized training for the particular type of work being perform ed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. OVERVIEW OF REGULATIONS, PROTECTION STANDARDS, AND RADIATION SAFETY
ORGANIZATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
III. RADIATION AND RADIOACTIVE DECAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
A. RADIOACTIVITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
B. FORMS OF IONIZING RADIATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
IV. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION.
A. UNITS OF EXPOSURE AND DOSE. . . . . . . .
B. ACUTE EFFECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C. DELAYED EFFECTS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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V. BASIC RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A. RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DOSE LIMITS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ALARA PHILOSOPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B. EXTERNAL RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TIME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DISTANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHIELDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C. INTERNAL RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY PROCEDURES.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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VI. RADIATION MONITORING AND DETECTION PRINCIPLES. . . . . . . . . .

A. DETECTION OF FIXED AND REMOVABLE CONTAMINATION. .
B. SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . .
C. INSTRUMENT OPERATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D. MONITORING FOR CONTAMINATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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VII. RADIATION SAFETY OFFICE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A. LABORATORY RULES AND PROCEDURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.
RADIATION LABORATORIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.
EQUIPMENT REPAIR, DISPOSAL.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.
HOUSEKEEPING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.
TERMINATION OF USE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.
FOOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B. SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C. ORDERING AND RECEIPT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D. PACKAGE OPENING PROCEDURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E. TRANSFER OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TO OTHERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F. TRANSPORTATION OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
G. LABORATORY SURVEYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
H. USE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN ANIMALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I. PERSONNEL RADIATION MONITORING REQUIREMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J. AIR SAMPLING AND POST-EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE SURVEYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
K. SCINTILLATION COUNTING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
L. PREGNANT RADIATION W ORKER POLICY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
M. RADIOACTIVE W ASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURES.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.
W ASTE MINIMIZATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.
W ASTE DISPOSAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.
W ASTE STORAGE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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4.
5.
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7.

LABELING W ASTES FOR DISPOSAL:. . . . . .

SEGREGATION OF RADIOACTIVE W ASTE.
GENERAL LABORATORY GUIDELINES.. . . .
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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TABLE 1: SOURCES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND BACKGROUND RADIATION.. . . . . . . . . . . .

TABLE 2: ACUTE RADIATION INJURY TO THE SKIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF EFFECTS ON HUMANS
OF SHORT-TERM W HOLE BODY EXTERNAL EXPOSURE TO RADIATION.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 4: DELAYED EFFECTS OF RADIATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 5: GENETIC RISKS OF LOW -LEVEL IONIZING RADIATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 6: CANCER MORTALITY RISK ESTIMATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 7: ESTIMATED LOSS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM HEALTH RISKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 8: ESTIMATED LOSS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 9: MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE RADIATION DOSE LIMITS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 10: INSTRUMENT SELECTION GUIDE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 11: CRITERIA FOR AIR MONITORING AND POST PROCEDURE SURVEYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 12: RADIOACTIVE W ASTE PROCESSING AND STORAGE LOCATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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10

LIST OF TABLES

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LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE
FIGURE
FIGURE
FIGURE

1:
2:
3:
4:

NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES (DEP). . . . . . . . .

SUMMARY 10 CFR 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ORGANIZATION CHART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MAXIMUM RANGE OF BETA PARTICLES .

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APPENDICES
A.

LABORATORY SURVEY PROGRAM

B.

NRC REGULATORY GUIDE 8.13

C.

INFORMATION SHEETS FOR INDIVIDUAL NUCLIDES

ALI* values in m Ci
109
CADMIUM
Cd
45
CALCIUM
Ca
14
CARBON
C
36
CHLORINE
Cl
51
CHROMIUM
Cr
111
INDIUM
In
125
IODINE
I
131
IODINE
I
PHOSPHORUS
PHOSPHORUS
86
RUBIDIUM
Rb
22
SODIUM
Na
35
SULFUR
S
3
TRITIUM
H

32

P
P

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16

I. INTRODUCTION
This radiation safety m anual provides a basic sum m ary of the inform ation which one should be fam iliar with
before handling radioactive m aterials here at the University and Health Center Hospitals.
Four principal issues to be covered are:
1.

Legal structure covering the possession, use, disposal, and transportation of

radioactive m aterials, along with specific State and Federal regulations;

2.

Health risks or harm ful biological effects associated with exposure to ionizing
radiation;

3.

Radiation protection concepts or m easures which can be taken to lim it or

reduce one's exposure to radiation;

4.

The program s, policies, and requirem ents established by the Radiation

Safety Office that govern the use of radioactive m aterials here at the
University and Health Center Hospitals.

This inform ation is intended to supplem ent, not to replace, the University's Radiation Safety Com m ittee policy
m anual, Regulations Regarding the Safe Use of Sources of Ionizing Radiation. It still rem ains the
responsibility of the Authorized User to provide specific instruction on safe radiation practices for the particular
type of radiation work being perform ed in the laboratory.

II. OVERVIEW OF REGULATIONS, PROTECTION STANDARDS,

AND RADIATION SAFETY ORGANIZATION
The University of Pittsburgh operates under a license and regulations set forth by the Com m onwealth of
Pennsylvania Departm ent of Environm ental Protection (DEP)--Bureau of Radiation Protection, Title 25, for the
procurem ent, possession, transportation, and use of all radioactive m aterials. These regulations constitute the
m inim um acceptable requirem ents and include certain notices and instructions to workers. The sum m ary of
Title 10 CFR 19 and the Pennsylvania DEP "Notice to Em ployees" on the following pages provide additional
inform ation.
The University was required to obtain a license and develop a radiation safety program to assure com pliance
with these regulations and to institute and m aintain this program to keep radiation exposures to both you and
the general public "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA).
The organizational chart "University of Pittsburgh Organizational Structure for the Control of Radioactive
Material" details the adm inistrative structure at the University under which the possession and use of
radioactive sources falls. For details concerning the relationships noted in this chart, see the policy m anual
Regulations Regarding the Safe Use of Sources of Ionizing Radiation.

FIGURE 1: NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES (DEP)

1.

FIGURE 2: SUMMARY 10 CFR 19

USNRC Rules and Regulations: SUMMARY OF 10 CFR 19
Part 19 Notices, Instructions, and Reports to Workers; Inspections
Adopted in its entirety by PA DEP
19.1

2.
3.

PURPOSE
Establish requirements for the University to provide certain information to individuals
participating in DEP licensed activities.

19.2

19.15

Applicable to all persons who receive, possess, use or transfer radioactive materials
which are licensed by the DEP.
19.11

CONSULTATION WITH WORKERS DURING INSPECTIONS

1.
2.

SCOPE
19.16

The licensee (University of Pittsburgh) is required to post DEP NOTICE TO

EMPLOYEES and a notice which describes certain documents (regulations, licenses,
operating procedures, and notices of violation) and states where they may be
examined.
19.12

2.

INSTRUCTIONS TO WORKERS
All individuals working in or frequenting any portion of a restricted area shall be:
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
19.13

19.17

Informed of location and use of radiation sources and radioactive materials;

Instructed in health protection problems associated with exposure to
radioactive materials or radiation, in precautions or procedures to minimize
exposure, and the purpose of protective devices;
Instructed in and to observe applicable DEP regulations;
Instructed of their responsibility to report violations of DEP regulations or
unnecessary exposure to the University RSO;
Instructed in emergency response procedures;
Advised as to the availability of their exposure records.

2.

19.30

All radiation exposure data for an individual engaged in licensed activities shall be
reported to the individual:

3.
4.

19.14

Provision exists to appeal a decision that a complaint under

19.16 does not warrant an inspection.
If a request under 19.16 is rejected because of a deficiency in the
mechanics of submitting the request, the individual will be so
advised in writing and may submit a new complaint.

EMPLOYEE PROTECTION
The University shall in no way discriminate against any worker who has
exercised any option afforded by 10 CFR 19.

NOTIFICATION AND REPORTS TO INDIVIDUALS

1.
2.

Any worker who believes that a violation of any regulation

pertinent to the licensed activities exists may request an
inspection. The request must be in writing and should specify the
basis for the belief. It should be signed and sent to the Regional
Office Administrator or to the DEP inspector. If specified, the
individual's name will be withheld during subsequent action by the
DEP.
After it is determined that the request is legitimate, the DEP will
conduct an inspection.

INSPECTION NOT WARRANTED: INFORMAL REVIEW

1.

19.20

DEP inspectors may consult privately with workers.

Workers may communicate privately with DEP inspectors.

REQUESTS BY WORKERS FOR INSPECTIONS

1.

POSTING OF NOTICES TO WORKERS

The University shall allow inspection by DEP at all reasonable

times.
DEP inspectors may consult privately with individual workers.
If an individual is authorized by workers to represent them, he
shall be given the opportunity to accompany the inspector during
physical inspection (there are specific instructions as to who is
eligible to be a representative).

VIOLATIONS
Provisions in these regulations allow injunctions, court orders, fines and
imprisonment for violation of applicable regulations.

Annually;
Within 30 days at the request of an employee formerly engaged in licensed
activity controlled by the licensee;
When excessive exposure is received by an individual as stipulated in 10
CFR 20.2202 & 10 CFR 20.2203;
At the request of a worker who is terminating employment, a written record
or estimate of current year exposure.

19.31

APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTIONS

Provisions in these regulations allow for granting exemptions from the
requirements of regulations of 10 CFR 19.

PRESENCE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF LICENSEES AND WORKERS DURING

INSPECTIONS

FIGURE 3: ORGANIZATION CHART

Radiation Safety Program
Organizational Chart 2/10

III. RADIATION AND RADIOACTIVE DECAY

Radioactive m aterials have certain characteristics, such as the types of radiations em itted and the rate of
em ission. Knowledge of these characteristics is helpful in establishing protective controls for the use of
the m aterial.

A. RADIOACTIVITY
A nuclide is an atom with a particular num ber of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. A radionuclide is a
nuclide that has the property of spontaneously converting part of its m ass into energy and em itting this
energy in the form of energetic particles and electrom agnetic radiation. The radionuclide em its radiation.
This property is called radioactivity and the actual event is referred to as radioactive decay, disintegration,
or transform ation.
For exam ple, Hydrogen-1 (1 H) is com posed of one proton and one electron. This is norm al, stable
hydrogen. Hydrogen-2 (2 H), also called deuterium or "heavy" hydrogen consists of one proton, one
electron and one neutron. Deuterium is also stable. Hydrogen-3 (3 H), tritium , is com posed of one proton,
one electron, and two neutrons. Tritium is not stable, it is a radionuclide and a radioisotope of hydrogen.
W hen 3 H spontaneously converts part of its m ass into energy and em its this energy in the form of
energetic nuclear particles it yields helium -3, which is stable, plus energetic particles. All radionuclides
eventually decay to stable nuclides. Strontium -90 is a radionuclide that decays into yttrium -90, also a
radionuclide. Yttrium -90 subsequently decays into the stable nuclide zirconium -90. This is a series
radioactive decay with 90Sr being the "parent" and 90Y the "daughter."
HALF-LIFE
The process of radioactive decay is spontaneous and the tim e when any particular atom will decay is
not known. However, when large num bers of radioactive atom s are present, the fraction of atom s that
will decay in a given tim e span (the decay rate) can be specified. A quantity that uniquely identifies
the rate of decay is the half-life of the radionuclide. This is the tim e required for one-half of the atom s
present to decay. The half-life is a useful m easure because no two radionuclides have exactly the
sam e half-life. Also, the half-life is unaffected by the chem ical or physical environm ent of the atom .
ACTIVITY
The quantity of radioactive m aterial present at a given tim e is usually expressed in term s of the rate of
decay at that tim e.
Two basic units used to describe the am ount of activity in a sam ple are the Curie and Becquerel.
1 curie (Ci) = 3.7 x 10 10 disintegrations/sec. (dps)
1 m illicurie (m Ci) = 2.22 x 10 9 disintegrations/m in. (dpm )
1 m icrocurie (Ci) = 2.22 x 10 6 disintegrations/m in. (dpm )
1 becquerel (Bq) = 1 disintegration/sec. (dps)

The quantity of activity left after any tim e interval is given by the following equation:
A

= A oe -t where

A o = activity of sam ple at som e original tim e

= decay constant for the particular radioactive elem ent .693/T

e = base of natural logarithm s 2.718
t
= elapsed tim e
T = half-life of a particular radioactive elem ent
6

SPECIFIC ACTIVITY
The concentration of radioactivity, or in general, the num ber of curies (or m Ci or Ci) per unit m ass or
volum e is defined by the specific activity.
Ex. Ci/g,
Ci/m g,
m Ci/m l,
Bq/g, etc

B. FORMS OF IONIZING RADIATION

The m anner in which a radionuclide will em it radiation is well defined and quite characteristic. The term
"m anner" refers to the type, energy and intensity of the radiation.
alpha particles - m assive charged particles, identical in m ass and charge with 4He nuclei, that are
em itted from the nucleus with discrete energies (for exam ple, 238U em its alpha particles)
beta particles - light charged particles that com e in positive (positron) and negative (negatron)
form s, have the sam e m ass as an electron, and are em itted from the nucleus with a continuous
range of energies up to som e m axim um energy, (for exam ple, 22 Na em its positrons, 32P, 3H, 14C,
35
S, and 131 I all em it negatrons)
gam m a rays - electrom agnetic radiation em itted from the nucleus with discrete energies (for exam ple,
I, 125I, 57Co, 51Cr, 137Cs)

131

x-rays - electrom agnetic radiation em itted from the electron shells of an atom with discrete
energies (for exam ple, 131I, 125I)
Two other types of radiation are generated in the m aterial surrounding the radioactive atom s rather than
by the radioactive atom s them selves. These are external brem sstrahlung and annihilation radiation.
external brem sstrahlung - consists of photons created by the acceleration of charged particles in
the electrom agnetic field of the nucleus. The photons are em itted with a continuous range of
energies up to the m axim um energy of the charged particle. For exam ple, when phosphorous-32
(32 P) beta particles interact with certain m aterials, lead for exam ple, significant external
brem sstrahlung radiation fields can be generated.
annihilation radiation - consists of two 0.511 MeV photons form ed by the m utual annihilation of a
positive beta particle (positron) and an electron. For exam ple, when fluorine-18 ( 18F) positive beta
particles interact with m atter, annihilation radiation is em itted.

The energy of a radiation is typically given in units of electron volts (eV), kiloelectron volts (keV) or
m egaelectron volts (MeV). W hen the energy of a radiation is discrete or non-continuous, as in the case of
gam m a rays, it m ay be correctly said that a radionuclide "em its a 1 MeV gam m a ray." A sim ilar statem ent
about radiation with a continuous range of energies, such as beta particles, is am biguous because it could
be referring to the m ean or m axim um energy of the radiation. Therefore, when specifying the energy of
continuous radiation, it m ust be said that the radionuclide "em its a beta particle with a m axim um energy of
1 MeV. The intensity of a radiation is the fraction of all decays that em it a particular radiation. For
exam ple, every tim e an 3 H atom decays, it em its a beta particle with a range of energies up to a m axim um
energy of 18 keV. The intensity of this beta is, therefore, 100%.

TABLE 1: SOURCES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND BACKGROUND RADIATION

EFFECTIVE RADIATION DOSE IN THE UNITED STATES*
Natural Sources
A. External to the body
1. From cosm ic radiations
2. From the earth

33 m illirem
21

B. Inside the body

1. Inhalation of air (Radon)
2. Elem ents found naturally in hum an tissues

228
29

Total, Natural sources

311

Man-m ade Sources

A. Medical Procedures
1. X-rays, CT, Fluoroscopy
2. Nuclear m edicine, therapy

223
77

B. Occupational including atom ic energy industry

<1

C. Consum er products (air travel, cigarettes, building m aterial, m ining

and agriculture, com bustion, highway construction, glass and
ceram ics)

13

Total, Man-m ade sources

313

Overall Total

624 Millirem s

Estim ated average dose, based on 2006 NCRP Report 160.

The contribution of various

radiation sources to the total
average effective dose equivalent
in the U.S.

IV. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION

A. UNITS OF EXPOSURE AND DOSE
Not all of the energy in a radiation field gets deposited in the living tissues of an individual who is in that
field. Therefore, the distinction m ust be m ade between the am ount of ionizing radiation that an individual
is exposed to and the am ount of energy that actually gets deposited in the body. Exposure is often
expressed in units of roentgens which is a m easure of the am ount of ionization that the radiation (x- or
gam m a rays) could produce in air. The radiation energy that is absorbed in the body is referred to as the
"dose" and is often m easured in rads or grays. Doses from different types of radiation are not always
additive. This is prim arily because they deposit their energy differently as they pass through living tissue.
A radiation that deposits its energy over a short range, like alpha, has the potential to cause m ore
biological dam age than a radiation that deposits its energy over a longer range, like x-rays. For radiation
protection purposes, a factor is used to adjust for the quality of different radiations so doses can be added.
The absorbed dose in rads is m ultiplied by this quality factor to yield dose equivalent units in rem s or
sieverts. Rem s can be added to ensure that an individual has not received a dose in excess of the
m axim um perm issible lim its.
Roentgen (R)
A unit of exposure to ionizing radiation. It is that am ount of gam m a or X-rays required to produce
ions carrying 1 electrostatic unit of electrical charge in 1 cubic centim eter of dry air under standard
conditions. Nam ed after W ilhelm Roentgen, Germ an scientist who discovered X-rays in 1895.
Rad
Acronym for radiation absorbed dose. The basic unit of absorbed dose of radiation. A dose of
one rad m eans the absorption of 100 ergs (a sm all but m easurable am ount of energy) per gram of
absorbing m aterial.
Gray
A joule per kilogram of absorbed energy.
Rem
Acronym for roentgen equivalent m an. The unit of dose of any ionizing radiation that produces the
sam e biological effect as a unit of absorbed dose of ordinary X-rays. Rem = Rad x Quality Factor
(QF).
Sievert
A Gray x Quality Factor.

Quality Factor
The factor by which the absorbed dose is to be m ultiplied to obtain a quantity that expresses, on a
com m on scale for all ionizing radiation, the biological dam age to exposed persons. It is used
because som e types of radiation, such as alpha particles and neutrons, can be m ore biologically
dam aging than other types, such as beta particles and x-rays.

Effective Dose Equivalent

The Dose Equivalent weighted for the relative probability of specific biological end points (fatal
cancer and genetic dam age). The weighting factor is designated W T. Factors have been
established for several types of tissue such as breast, gonadal, bone m arrow, lung, thyroid, bone
surfaces, and other organs. The units of Effective Dose Equivalent are either Rem s or Sieverts.

B. ACUTE EFFECTS
The biological effects from exposure to ionizing radiation can be classified into two basic categories, acute
and delayed. Acute effects are caused by relatively high doses of radiation delivered over a short period
of tim e. These effects are dependent on how m uch and what area of the body is exposed over what tim e.
The following two tables classify acute radiation injuries for different exposure levels to the skin (Table 2)
and whole body (Table 3).
TABLE 2: ACUTE RADIATION INJURY TO THE SKIN
Dose in rads (Gy)

Effect

200-300 (2-3 Gy)

Epilation

>300 ( >3 Gy)

Radiation derm atitis and erythem a

1000-2000 (10-20 Gy)

Transepiderm al injury

>2000 ( >20 Gy)

(single exposure)

Radio necrosis

>5000 ( >50 Gy)

(over extended period)

Chronic derm atitis

10

TABLE 3: SUMMARY OF EFFECTS ON HUMANS

OF SHORT-TERM W HOLE BODY EXTERNAL EXPOSURE TO RADIATION
Dose in rads (Gy)

Effects on hum ans

0 to 25
(0 - 0.25 Gy)

No detectable clinical effects. Delayed effects m ay occur.

25 to 100
(0.25 - 1 Gy)

Slight transient reductions in lym phocytes and neutrophils. Disabling sickness not
com m on; exposed individuals should be able to proceed with usual tasks. Delayed
effects possible, but serious effects on the average person very im probable.

100 to 200
(1 - 2 Gy)

Nausea and fatigue, with possible vom iting above 125 rads (1.25 gy) in about 2025% of people. Reduction in lym phocytes and neutrophils, with delayed recovery.
Delayed effects m ay shorten life expectancy (on the order of 1%).

200 to 300
(2 - 3 Gy)

Nausea and vom iting on first day. Latent period up to 2 weeks, perhaps longer.
After latent period, sym ptom s appear but are not severe: loss of appetite, general
m alaise, sore throat, pallor, petechia, diarrhea, m oderate em aciation. Recovery
likely in about 3 m onths unless com plicated by poor health or superim posed injury
or infection.

300 to 600
(3 - 6 Gy)

Nausea, vom iting, and diarrhea in first few hours. Latent period with no definite
sym ptom s perhaps as long as 1 week. Epilation, loss of appetite, general m alaise,
and fever during 2nd week, followed by hem orrhage, purpura, petechia,
inflam m ation of m outh and throat, diarrhea, and em aciation in 3rd week. Som e
deaths in 2-6 weeks; possible eventual death to 50% of those exposed at about 450
rads (4.5 gy); convalescence of others about 6 m onths.

600 or m ore
( >6 Gy)

Nausea, vom iting, and diarrhea in the first few hours. Short latent period, with no
definite sym ptom s, in som e cases during first week. Diarrhea, hem orrhage,
purpura, inflam m ation of m outh and throat, and fever toward end of first week.
Rapid em aciation and death as early as the second week, with possible eventual
death of up to 100% of those exposed.

From : Saenger EL, ed, Medical Aspects of Radiation Accidents, p 9. US Atom ic Energy Com m ission,
W ashington, DC, 1963.

C. DELAYED EFFECTS
Delayed effects of radiation are those which m anifest them selves years after the original exposure.
Delayed radiation effects m ay result from previous acute, high-dose exposure or from chronic low-level
exposures over a period of years. It should be em phasized that there is no unique disease associated
with the long-term effects of radiation; these effects m anifest them selves in hum ans sim ply as a statistical
increase in the incidence of certain already-existing conditions or diseases. The delayed effects observed
from radiation exposure have been:
TABLE 4: DELAYED EFFECTS OF RADIATION
Genetic

Effects passed on from generation to generation due to m utation of genetic

m aterial
or

Som atic

Effects m anifested in exposed individuals include:

Cancer
Cataracts
Developm ental abnorm alities in the fetus
Growth retardation

11

Actual risk estim ates for genetic and som atic effects from radiation exposure are described below in
Tables 5 and 6. These risks can be com pared to other health and occupational risks as tabulated in
Tables 7 and 8.

TABLE 5: GENETIC RISKS OF LOW -LEVEL IONIZING RADIATION

One rem before conception is expected to produce 5-75 additional serious genetic disorders per 1
m illion live- births (First generation).
This is sm all in relationship to the usual incidence of genetic disorders of about 4.5% of live born offspring (45,000/10 6 live-births)

TABLE 6: CANCER MORTALITY RISK ESTIMATES W HOLE-BODY LOW -LEVEL IONIZING

FOR W HOLE-BODY LOW -LEVEL IONIZING RADIATION (BEIR V)
400

Excess Cancer deaths over a life-tim e are predicted per m illion persons exposed to
1 rad of radiation

4 x 10-4

Excess Cancer deaths per person per rad over a lifetim e

6 x 10-6

Excess Cancer deaths per persons per rad per year

In a population of 10,000 persons four excess cancer deaths over a lifetim e would be expected from an
exposure of 1 rad to each person.
The expected deaths from cancer for 10,000 persons over a lifetim e is norm ally 2500.

12

TABLE 7: ESTIMATED LOSS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM HEALTH RISKS

HEALTH RISK

ESTIM ATED AVERAGE DAYS OF

LIFE EXPECTANCY LOST

Sm oking 20 cigarettes/day

2370 (6.5 years)

Overweight (by 15%)

777 (2.1 years)

All Accidents com bined

366

Auto accidents

207

Alcohol consum ption (US avg)

365

Hom e accidents

74

Drowning

24

Natural background radiation, calculated

9.3

Medical radiation (63 m Rem /yr avg), calculated

6.2

All catastrophes (earthquake, etc.)

4.8

1 rem occupational radiation dose, calculated

1.5

1 rem /yr from age 18-65, calculated

51

TABLE 8: ESTIMATED LOSS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS

INDUSTRY TYPE

ESTIM ATES OF DAYS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY LOST

All industry

60

Trade

27

Manufacturing

40

Service

27

Governm ent

60

Transportation and Utilities

160

Agriculture

320

Construction

227

Mining and Quarrying

167

Nuclear industry (Avg radiation dose of 0.45 rem /yr) from age 18-65,
calculated

23

Inform ation in Tables 7 and 8 from "Catalog of Risks Extended and Updated", Bernard L. Cohen, Health
Physics Vol 61 No 3, Septem ber 1991.

13

V. BASIC RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

A. RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS

TABLE 9: MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE RADIATION DOSE LIMITS *

ADULT OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
W hole body

5 rem /yr TEDE

0.05 Sv/yr

Skin of whole body or extrem ity

50 rem /yr SDE

0.5 Sv/yr

Eye

15 rem /yr LDE

0.15 Sv/yr

Em bryo/fetus

0.5 rem /gestation period TEDE

.005 Sv

MINORS OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE

10% of Adult lim its

MEMBER OF GENERAL PUBLIC

0.1 rem /yr TEDE

0.001 Sv/yr

* Reference 10 CFR 20.1201, 1207, 1208, 1301

TEDE =
SDE =
LDE =

Total Effective Dose Equivalent

Shallow Dose Equivalent
Lens of Eye Dose Equivalent

ALARA PHILOSOPHY
Current scientific evidence concedes that there m ay not be a risk-free level of radiation exposure.
Therefore, in addition to providing an upper lim it on a person's perm issible radiation exposure, the DEP
also requires that its licensees m aintain occupational exposures as low as reasonably achievable
(ALARA). This m eans that every activity involving exposure to radiation should be planned so as to
m inim ize unnecessary exposure to individual workers and the worker population. All experim ental
procedures should be reviewed with the objective of reducing unnecessary exposures.
An ALARA program has been incorporated as part of the Universitys DEP license. It outlines the
responsibilities of several groups. Managem ent has the responsibility to provide an adm inistrative
organization and the resources to operate it. The University Radiation Safety Com m ittee m ust review
occupational radiation exposures. The Radiation Safety Officer ensures that training is given, will review
authorized users procedures and physical layouts, and will investigate radiation exposures that exceed
ten percent of the annual lim it. The Authorized User will ensure that laboratory personnel are properly
trained and will consult with the RSO with regard to keeping exposures ALARA. The radiation worker will
consider ALARA when conducting research in the laboratory and will consult with the Authorized User or
the Radiation Safety Office when safety or other laboratory practices are in question.
The University of Pittsburgh has set an ALARA action level at 10 percent of the annual radiation exposure
lim its. Annual cum ulative radiation exposures are reviewed each calendar quarter. Action levels are at
10%, 30% and 80% of the annual allowable dose. If it is determ ined through m onitoring or calculation that
any worker has exceeded 30 percent of the applicable radiation exposure lim its, an investigation will be
conducted to determ ine the cause of the exposure and to develop m ethods to control future exposures. A
sum m ary of exposure for any individuals exceeding these levels is presented to the University Radiation
Safety Com m ittee at its next quarterly m eeting.

14

B. EXTERNAL RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

TIME
Radiation doses are directly proportional to the exposure tim e in the field. If the tim e spent in a given
radiation field is doubled, the worker's dose is doubled. Therefore, to lim it radiation doses, the tim e
spent in the field m ust be lim ited.
Radiation Dose % (Tim e in field)
DISTANCE
The radiation dose received from a source is inversely proportional to the square of the distance of
separation. If the distance is increased ten-fold the exposure will be cut down to one percent. Thus,
the distance of separation between a person and a "point" source has a relatively greater influence on
dose than the tim e factor.
Radiation dose %

1
(Distance of Separation) 2

SHIELDING
Any substance m ay serve to attenuate radiation to acceptable levels provided sufficient thickness is
used. Certain m aterials, however, are m ore effective in shielding certain types of radiation.
Alpha particles are stopped by an ordinary sheet of paper or a few inches of air.
Beta particles although m ore penetrating than alpha, can be absorbed readily and com pletely. Figure
4 shows the shielding required for com plete absorption of beta rays of various energies in various
substances. For exam ple, beta rays of one m illion electron volts (MeV) are com pletely absorbed by
0.15 cm of alum inum .

15

FIGURE 4: MAXIMUM RANGE OF BETA PARTICLES AS A FUNCTION OF ENERGY

Radiation Health Handbook (Range in air.Range in plastic x 1000)

Gam m a rays and x-rays of a single energy (m onoenergetic) are attenuated exponentially; therefore,
theoretically it is not possible to attenuate the radiation com pletely, although the exposure rate can be
reduced by any desired factor. Thus, if a certain thickness of absorber, the half-value layer (HVL),
reduces the dose to one-half the initial am ount, then a thickness of three such layers will reduce the dose
to one-eighth ( x x ) the initial am ount. Sim ilarly three tenth-value layers (TVL) will reduce the dose
to 1/1000 of the initial am ount (1/10 x 1/10 x 1/10). Shielding m aterials of high density and high atom ic
num ber, such as lead, are generally the m ost effective absorbers or shields for x- and gam m a rays;
therefore, less thickness and weight per square foot is required for such m aterials. Steel, concrete, brick,
or other m aterials can provide the sam e degree of protection if used in appropriately greater thicknesses.

C. INTERNAL RADIATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

An internal radiation hazard exists when radionuclides can enter the body by ingestion or inhalation,
through wounds, or by direct absorption through intact skin. The radiation doses are often difficult to
evaluate and depend on m any factors such as the physical and chem ical form of the m aterial, the m ode of
entry, and the individual's m etabolism . A certain quantity of radioactive m aterial within the body
represents a greater hazard than the sam e activity as an external source because the tissue is irradiated
continuously until the m aterial has decayed or been elim inated. Even weakly penetrating radiations such
as low-energy beta particles present a hazard since all their energy will be dissipated in the tissue.
The principal m eans of protection from internal radiation is containm ent of the radioactive source. Control
m easures m ust be taken to prevent the contam ination of working surfaces, equipm ent, and personnel.
The following covers som e of these safety precautions and procedures.

16

D. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY PROCEDURES WHEN WORKING

WITH RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
1.

Be fam iliar with the particular clinical or experim ental procedure being perform ed. Never perform
extensive radiochem ical work with hazardous levels of m aterial until the procedure has been tested
by a "dry run" to preclude unexpected com plications.

2.

Keep radioactive and non-radioactive work separate as m uch as possible by m aintaining

designated and labeled areas on the bench top and in the laboratory.

3.

Cover work surfaces with absorbent padding that has a plastic backing to protect furniture
and facilitate clean up. Use stainless steel or plastic trays to help control liquids if these are
spilled.

4.

W ear a laboratory coat and appropriate gloves for protection of clothes and skin. To avoid
the spread of contam ination, rem ove gloves at the work area. Change gloves frequently to
prevent the spread of contam ination. Do not handle faucets, light switches, door knobs,
telephones, etc., with contam inated gloves. Special protection m ay be required for open
cuts or wounds.

5.

Monitor yourself for contam ination at frequent intervals when working with radioactive
m aterials. Monitoring should include hands, body, shoes, and protective clothing.

6.

Clean up after yourself. Do not leave the laboratory contam inated or in a m ess. Check all
work areas for contam ination. Before leaving the laboratory, wash your hands thoroughly.

7.

Never pipette radioactive solutions by m outh. Mechanical devices m ust be used.

Disposable tips are strongly recom m ended.

8.

To prevent accidental ingestion of radioactive m aterials, do not eat, drink, sm oke, store or
prepare food, or apply cosm etics in restricted areas.

9.

Do not handle sources of high radioactivity directly with your fingers. Use tongs.

10.

Observe tim e, distance, shielding, and contam ination control while working with radioactive
m aterials or while in a radiation area.

11.

If you have been issued a dosim eter, you should wear it at all tim es when working with or
near radioactive m aterials.

12.

Have containers for radioactive waste and contam inated labware at the work location.
Avoid transporting contam inated articles from the work area through clean laboratory
areas. Shield the waste containers as required to prevent unnecessary exposure.

13.

Confine work with gaseous/volatile radioactive m aterials, or processes which can create
dust or aerosols to fum e hoods or glove boxes, whichever is appropriate.

14.

Label containers of radioactive m aterial clearly, indicating radionuclide, activity, com pound,
date, and radiation level, if applicable.

17

E. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
In case of a spill of radioactive m aterial, the following procedures should be perform ed:
1.

Alert others in the laboratory that a spill has occurred.

2.

Secure the area against traffic.

3.

Contain and m inim ize the spread of contam ination by covering the spill with
absorbent m aterial such as paper towels, padding, Kim wipes, etc,

4.

Contact the Radiation Safety Office as soon as possible.

5.

Taking the necessary precautions to lim it exposure, determ ine the extent of
contam ination by m onitoring the area with the appropriate survey instrum ent
and/or by perform ing a sm ear survey.

6.

To clean up the spill: Decontam inate the area in convenient sectors by starting
from the outer edge with a wiping and scrubbing m otion and working in towards
the center. Use a com m ercial decontam ination product or a soap and water
cleaning solution on paper towels or pads. Other additives such as alcohol or
EDTA m ay also be used, depending on the chem ical form of the contam ination.
Sodium bicarbonate should be used with radioiodine spills to buffer the pH and
reduce the volatilization of iodine gas.

7.

Package the contam inated waste from the clean-up in a yellow bag and resurvey the area to m ake sure that there is no residual contam ination.

8.

The Radiation Safety Office will assist in the m onitoring, clean up, and survey
operations.

In case of personnel contam ination, the following procedures should be perform ed:
1.

Im m ediately rem ove any contam inated clothing or shoes, exercising caution not
to spread or track the contam ination further.

2.

W ash contam inated areas of skin with soap and water. Do not use hot water and
do not use abrasive scrubbing, as this will only increase the passage of
radioactive m aterial through the skin.

3.

Call the Radiation Safety Office to evaluate the exposure.

In case of personnel injury:

1.

Render appropriate first aid.

2.

Decontam inate or wrap the contam inated area.

3.

Seek m edical attention.

4.

Contact the Radiation Safety Office.

18

VI. RADIATION MONITORING AND DETECTION PRINCIPLES

A. DETECTION OF FIXED AND REMOVABLE CONTAMINATION
In facilities where radioactive m aterials are handled, personnel should regularly m onitor them selves and
their work area for fixed and rem ovable contam ination in order to:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Ensure that contam ination control is m aintained;

Ensure that contam ination is not transferred to non-radioactive areas;
Provide feedback as to the effectiveness of contam ination control m easures;
Prevent unnecessary personnel exposure resulting from intake of contam ination.

Contam ination can be rem ovable, fixed, or a com bination of the two. Rem ovable contam ination
represents a greater hazard. Methods of detection should be used which can detect fixed or rem ovable
contam ination, and differentiate between the two.
The appropriate frequency and thoroughness of m onitoring will depend on a variety of factors, including
levels of activity handled, degree of containm ent, and control exercised. Individuals should m onitor
them selves and their clothing during and after each use. Laboratories where radioactive m aterials are
used should be surveyed per the program requirem ents in VII G. Facilities that are shared with other
users should be surveyed before and after each use.
Areas and item s that should be m onitored include hands, wrists, protective clothing, personal belongings,
work surfaces, radioactivity processing and storage areas, and equipm ent and m aterials rem oved from
radioactivity handling areas.

B. SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS

Identify those radionuclides which are handled, and select the appropriate instrum ent(s) based on the
need for portability, and the sensitivity of the instrum ent for the characteristic radiations em itted by the
radionuclides in question. Use the following table as a guide.

TABLE 10: INSTRUMENT SELECTION GUIDE

CHARACTERISTIC
RADIATION

PORTABLE
INSTRUMENTS

NON-PORTABLE
INSTRUMENTS

Low energy beta

3
H, 63Ni

None

Liquid Scintillation
Counter

Medium energy beta

14
C, 35S

GM Probe
(thin window only)

Liquid Scintillation
Counter

High energy beta

32
P

GM Probe
Gam m a (NaI) Probe

Liquid Scintillation
Counter

Low energy gam m a

125
I

GM Probe
Gam m a (NaI) Probe

Gam m a Counter or
Liquid Scintillation counter

Medium -high energy gam m a

131 51
I, Cr

GM Probe
Gam m a (NaI) Probe

Gam m a Counter or
Liquid Scintillation counter

Additional instrum ent selection param eters include background radiation levels, ruggedness needed,
and m inim um delectability.
Portable instrum ents are often dedicated to a m onitoring station where wipes and other item s are
brought for contam ination m onitoring.

19

Note: The Radiation Safety Office has available a list of recom m ended survey instrum ents for use in
research laboratories.

C. INSTRUMENT OPERATION
Fam iliarize yourself with instrum ent operating instructions. Check for proper instrum ent function, including
recent calibration, battery strength or operating voltage, and response to check sources.

D. MONITORING FOR CONTAMINATION

To directly m onitor a surface for contam ination, bring the probe to within about one-half inch of the
surface, being careful not to dam age or contam inate the probe. If available, use the audio output to
quickly locate contam ination. Move the probe slowly over the surface (3-4 in/sec). Adjust m eter range
selector and observe the reading from a point directly above the m eter face to ensure proper alignm ent of
needle and scale. Since the readout will fluctuate, look for the average value. High background levels
m ay be overcom e by partially shielding the probe.
To test for rem ovable contam ination on surfaces and equipm ent, a sm ear or wipe is the appropriate
m ethodology to use. W earing gloves, firm ly sm ear the surface in question with a filter, a paper sm ear or a
piece of clean paper towel. A 1 inch diam eter size is com m only used. Avoid cross contam inating the
wipes while handling. W iping a standard surface area, such as 100 cm 2, yields results which can be
com pared from survey to survey.
For beta em itters, totally im m erse the wipe in an appropriate scintillation cocktail, agitate, and count by
liquid scintillation counting. For gam m a em itters, the dry wipe m ay be counted in a gam m a counter.
Alternately, bring the wipe to the window of a GM or NaI probe and rate-m eter and note any increase in
the count rate. Do not m ove the probe if doing so causes a change in the background count rate
A wipe survey is a qualitative, not a quantitative indication of surface contam ination. Maintaining a
uniform ity in the procedure will perm it com parisons between wipes and between surveys.
The am ount of radioactivity that has been detected by direct m onitoring or by wipe survey can be readily
estim ated by subtracting the background count rate (bkg counts/m in) from the observed count rate (gross
counts/m in) and then dividing the net count rate by the counting efficiency (counts/disintegration) for the
radionuclide in question.

net disintegrations/m in (dpm ) =

(gross cpm )-(bkg cpm )

efficiency

Always express contam ination levels in standard units, such as dpm or m icrocuries/100 cm 2. If the
identity of the radionuclide detected is not known, the m ost conservative (lowest) efficiency of the possible
radionuclides should be used.

20

VII. RADIATION SAFETY OFFICE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

A. LABORATORY RULES AND PROCEDURES
The purpose of these rules and procedures is to provide a safe working environm ent for laboratory
personnel, to ensure public safety, and to avoid contam ination of equipm ent and facilities.
1.

RADIATION LABORATORIES
Radioactive m aterials m ay only be used and stored in specifically designated and
approved areas. These "Radiation laboratories" are considered to be restricted areas,
where access is controlled in order to protect individuals from exposure to radiation and
radioactive m aterials. They will have a "Caution Radioactive Materials" label on the door
or entrance area.

2.

EQUIPMENT REPAIR, DISPOSAL

All laboratory equipm ent where radioactive m aterial is stored or processed (refrigerators,
freezers, water baths, centrifuges, etc.) m ust be labeled with a Caution Radioactive
Material label. Prior to repair, m odification, placem ent into storage or disposal, the
equipm ent m ust be m onitored for contam ination by RSO personnel.

3.

HOUSEKEEPING
Custodial personnel should only clean areas designated by the Authorized User. The
users or their qualified laboratory personnel shall be responsible for the rest of the
housecleaning. The Authorized User is responsible for ensuring that housekeeping
personnel do not com e in contact with radioactive contam ination.

4.

TERMINATION OF USE
W hen the use or storage of a radioactive m aterial in a facility is term inated, the RSO m ust
be notified. Radiation Safety personnel will carry out a final survey of the laboratory
before releasing the area for unrestricted use.

5.

FOOD
Eating, drinking, sm oking, storage/preparation of food, and application of cosm etics are
not perm itted in radiation laboratories. This policy is not unique to the University of
Pittsburgh. It is designed to m inim ize the risks of ingesting potentially harm ful agents into
the body.
W e interpret the presence of coffee m ugs, drink containers, food in refrigerators or cold
room s, coffee m akers, and m icrowave ovens as evidence that eating and drinking m ay be
occurring in an area. Therefore, the Radiation Safety Office staff has been instructed to
confiscate and dispose of any such m aterials found in a designated radiation laboratory,
regardless of value.

21

B. SECURITY OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

Background:

Regulations pertaining to the security of radioactive m aterials require that "The licensee
shall secure from unauthorized rem oval or access licensed m aterials that are stored in
controlled or unrestricted areas," and that "the licensee shall control and m aintain
constant surveillance of licensed m aterial that is in a controlled or unrestricted area and
that is not in storage."

Policy:

Radioactive m aterials are to be stored in a m anner that will m inim ize the risk of breakage,
leakage or theft. The use and storage of radioactive m aterials m ust either be under the
constant surveillance and im m ediate control of a radiation worker or secured from
unauthorized rem oval and access. These requirem ents are applicable to stock vials and
non-exem pt sealed sources.

Procedure:

In accordance with the above policy the following shall be im plem ented:
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MUST BE USED AND/OR STORED IN POSTED ROOMS
LISTED ON THE AUTHORIZED USER'S APPLICATION.
RADIOISOTOPE LABORATORIES ARE TO BE LOCKED W HEN UNOCCUPIED IF
THERE ARE UNSECURED SOURCES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL.
In unlocked and unoccupied laboratories, stock vials and non-exem pt sealed sources
m ust be secured in a locked container such as a cabinet, refrigerator, shield, hood or
storage box.
ANY INDIVIDUAL W HO IS UNKNOW N TO LABORATORY PERSONNEL OR W HO IS
UNFAMILIAR W ITH THE W ORK PRACTICES IN YOUR LABORATORY SHOULD BE
"CHALLENGED" UPON ENTRY INTO AREAS IN W HICH MATERIALS ARE
UNSECURED.

Exem ptions:

Sm all quantities of m aterials (liquid scintillation vials, gam m a counting sam ples, etc.) in
the process of being assayed in nuclear counting equipm ent. These m aterials are not
exem pt from proper handling and waste disposal procedures.

C. ORDERING AND RECEIPT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

All orders or requests for radioactive m aterial m ust be approved by the Radiation Safety Office. Specific
guidelines for procurem ent of radioactive m aterials m ay be found on the RSO website.
The Radiation Safety Office m ust be notified in writing prior to receipt of item s which do not require a
purchase requisition such as evaluation products, free sam ples, replacem ent orders, or radioactive
m aterials from other research institutions.
W ith the exception of certain radioactive m aterial for clinical or hum an use, all packages containing
radioactive m aterial m ust be received through the Radiation Safety Office, G-7 Parran Hall, and surveyed
for contam ination before being delivered to the User's laboratory. If significant contam ination is found, or
if there is a discrepancy between the m aterial in the package and what is stated on the purchase request,
the User will be notified. Special handling instructions or requirem ents associated with the use of the
radioactive m aterial will be noted on the package.

D. PACKAGE OPENING PROCEDURE

Packages of radioactive m aterials will be m onitored in accordance with requirem ents specified in 10 CFR
20 and 25 PA Code 219. Special handling instructions or precautions will be provided, when needed, for
packages of radioactive m aterial which are received at the Radiation Safety Office, before they are
delivered to the User's laboratory.
22

All packages of radioactive m aterial, exclusive of where or by whom they are received, will be subject to
the following safe opening procedure:

PROCEDURE FOR SAFELY OPENING PACKAGES CONTAINING

RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

1.

Disposable gloves should be worn in order to prevent potential hand contam ination.

2.

Visually inspect the package for any sign of dam age; e.g., wet or crushed. If dam age is noted,
notify the Radiation Safety Office.

3.

For volatile m aterial, place the package in a vented fum e hood.

4.

Open the inner packaging and verify that the contents agree with the packing slip.

5.

Check the integrity of the final source container. Look for broken seals or vials, loss of liquid, or
discoloration of the packing m aterial. If there is reason to suspect contam ination, perform a wipe
survey to determ ine if there is rem ovable radioactivity. Take precautions against the potential
spread of contam ination.

6.

If anything in steps 4 and 5 is other than expected, stop further handling and notify the Radiation
Safety Office.

7.

Rem ove or obliterate any radiation labels from packaging m aterials before discarding in the
regular trash. If contam inated, treat this m aterial as radioactive waste.

E. TRANSFER OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TO OTHERS

Ordering and receipt of radioactive m aterials is lim ited to those researchers who have received
authorization from the University Radiation Safety Com m ittee. Radioactive m aterial is received under the
University of Pittsburghs DEP licenses and m ay only be used in authorized University related facilities.
Transfers within University related facilities:

Transfer of radioactive m aterial to other researchers is allowed, but only when the following two steps are
taken:
1) Verify that the receiver is authorized to possess the isotope and
2) file a notification of the transfer with the Radiation Safety Office.
RSO form Internal Radioisotope Transfer Record should be com pleted and subm itted to G-7 Parran
Hall. This form is available on the Radiation Safety Office web site.

Transfers outside the University:

Radioactive m aterial m ay only be transferred to individuals at other institutions by the Radiation Safety
Office. Contact the Radiation Safety Office for assistance. Regulations require that the University have a
written confirm ation that the receiving institution is licensed for the m aterial. Most institutions require, as
we do, that all incom ing m aterial is delivered first to the Radiation Safety Office. U.S. Departm ent of
Transportation packaging requirem ents m ust be adhered to as well as the lim itations im posed by the
carriers such as UPS or FedEx. Im proper shipm ents are subject to fines and legal action.
F. TRANSPORTATION OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS W ITHIN THE UNIVERSITY COMPLEX
UTILIZING PUBLIC PLACES

23

Radioactive m aterials (waste, stock vials or experim ents in progress) are occasionally m oved between
laboratories on different floors or between buildings. Public hallways, elevators, stairwells and sidewalks
are utilized. Every effort m ust be taken to m inim ize public exposures and prevent contam ination.
Material m ust be in the possession of a trained radiation worker at all tim es. It m ay be hand carried or
m oved on a cart, but not transported in a vehicle. It is not acceptable to convey a radioactive package on
a public transportation vehicle such as a cam pus van or public bus. If transport by vehicle is necessary,
please consult with the Radiation Safety Office.
The m aterial m ust be contained in a closed package or overpack, no open containers are perm itted. As
appropriate, consideration should be m ade for absorbent m aterial and shielding.
Care should be taken when packaging the radioactive m aterial so that the outside of the container and
subsequently the carrier does not becom e contam inated.
W aste bags should be appropriately closed, with a proper label attached.

G. LABORATORY SURVEYS
Laboratory personnel are required to perform and docum ent laboratory surveys in accordance with the
following program :

Documented Radiation Laboratory Survey Program

Purpose
The purpose of a survey is to identify sources of radiation contam ination and exposure. All
laboratory personnel should be aware of these sources of exposure. Corrective action should be
taken as necessary to insure a safe work environm ent. Docum entation of radiation surveys m ust
be retained. This policy does not elim inate the need for daily checks of the work place and routine
surveys of personnel.

Frequency of Surveys
Surveys m ust be perform ed weekly in all laboratories where radioactive m aterial was in use during
that week.
"Use" m eans rem oval from stock vial for experim ent and/or processing radio-labeled com pounds
or probes in open containers, waste handling or discharge to sink. Receipt and placem ent into
storage of stock vials does not constitute use. Analysis of sam ples in liquid scintillation or
gam m a counters is not considered use of radioactive m aterials.
"Laboratories" do not include darkroom s, freezer/refrigerator room s and counting equipm ent
room s. Com m on equipm ent room s, and cold/warm room s are considered to be laboratories;
however, they are exem pt from surveys by laboratory personnel if there is no use of unsealed
radioactive m aterial. Detection of contam ination by the Radiation Safety Office will revoke the
exem pt status in these room s.

Survey procedure

Meter surveys are required for all laboratories except those exclusively using H-3 or I-125 in
24

RIA kits. Exem ptions m ay be granted by the RSO for specific cases.
Perform a radiation survey with an operational portable survey instrum ent. Survey with detector
end caps and beta shields rem oved. Select the m ost sensitive (lowest) range of the instrum ent.
Turn the speaker on. Survey all work and storage areas, waste containers, accessible surfaces
and Rad labeled equipm ent. Record (in CPM) the background reading and all readings above
background on the report form .
Sm ear Surveys are required for all laboratories except those exclusively using m icrospheres.
Perform a contam ination survey, taking sm ears representative of both Rad work and clean areas.
A one inch dry paper filter or a cotton swab is an acceptable sm ear. For uniform ity of results,
sm ear an area of 100 cm 2 (four inch square). All areas with radiation levels above background
should be sm eared. Pay particular attention to areas which m ay have been contam inated, such
as switches, handles, etc. Be careful to not inadvertently contam inate the sm ears or transfer
contam ination to a clean surface in the process.
Count sm ears with an appropriate instrum ent. Low energy beta em itters (C-14, H-3, S-35, Ca-45)
m ust be counted in a liquid scintillation counter. Medium and high energy beta em itters or
beta/gam m a em itters m ay be counted with a thin window "GM" survey instrum ent. Sm ear
analysis should be m ade in a low background environm ent. Photon em itters such as I-125 and
Cr-51 should be counted in a gam m a counter or with a thin crystal NaI detector.
Using the counting efficiency for the instrum ent selected (see table below), calculate dpm /sm ear.
Record background and net (gross m inus background) dpm on the survey report. Also record the
counting instrum ent used.
Average Counting Efficiency for Standard Instrum ents 1,2

H,

14

C,

33
32

P,

P,

55

Scintillation
counter

Pancake GM 3

End W indow GM 3

63

50 %

NOT APPLICABLE

NOT APPLICABLE

90 %

2%

1%

90 %

15 %

10 %

100 %

35 %

20 %

NaI (Thin)

Gam m a counter

45 %

60 %

30 %

Unit specific

Fe,

35

Ni

45
36

Betas

Ca

Cl,

86

Rb
Photons

109
22
46

2
3

Cd,

125

Na, 51Cr, 65Zn, 111In, 131I,

Sc, 95Nb, 103Ru, 113Sn, 141Ce

Specific efficiency data m ay be determ ined for the specific instrum ents and nuclides in use in a
particular laboratory. That inform ation m ay be used on survey records.
Efficiency m ay be reduced if the em ission rate from a particular radionuclide is less than 100 %.
(Detector window 1 cm above source)

Action Levels
Evaluate contam ination rem oved and take action as follows:
25

Action Levels for Rem ovable Surface

Contam ination in Radiation Laboratories
'Clean areas' - bench tops, floors, freezers, refrigerators, desks, etc
<220 dpm

Acceptable level

> 220 dpm but < 2200 dpm

Decontam ination recom m ended

> 2200 dpm

Decontam ination required

Radiation labeled equipm ent--rad sinks, centrifuges, fum e hoods, waste cans, etc
< 2200 dpm

Acceptable level

> 2200 dpm but < 22,000 dpm

Decontam ination recom m ended

> 22,000 dpm

Decontam ination required

Docum entation and record keeping

The survey form used to docum ent laboratory surveys m ust contain the following inform ation:
Location, date of survey, nam e of individual perform ing the survey, isotopes in use,
survey instrum ent(s) used, room layout drawing, counting equipm ent used, efficiency of
counting equipm ent, results of surveys, notation as to corrective actions taken.
The survey form s m ay be patterned after the Radiation Safety Office laboratory survey form . An
acceptable generic form is included in Appendix A. Com plete all inform ation requested on the
form . Sign and date the form .
For weeks when no use of radioactive m aterials occurs, an entry should be m ade on the m aster
calendar sheet that no survey is required that week.
File the com pleted form s in a file folder or loose leaf binder. The survey reports are subject to
review by RSO and DEP personnel.
Survey reports m ust be retained for two years.
Com m on use or shared laboratories
For laboratories which are used by m ultiple Authorized Users, the responsibility for perform ing the
weekly survey should be given to a m utually agreed upon individual.
Availability of Training
The Radiation Safety Office will conduct training on how to perform proper surveys for any
laboratory that requests it.
Laboratories authorized for the use of radioactive m aterials will be surveyed and audited periodically by
Radiation Safety personnel to assure radiologically safe working conditions.

H. USE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN ANIMALS

The use of radioactive m aterial in anim als requires protocol approval from the IACUC and observance of
26

Radiation Safety Office guidelines.

If the study is an acute study, it m ay be allowed to be perform ed in the research laboratory. It is the
responsibility of the Authorized User to m ake certain his or her associates and em ployees understand and
exercise the necessary safety precautions, handling procedures, clean up responsibilities, and waste
disposal m ethods.
If the study requires use of radiolabeled anim als in institutionally m anaged facilities, then the responsibility
for anim al care m ay be shared between the investigator and anim al facility personnel. This division of
responsibility m ust be developed co-operatively, before the study begins.
The following are som e guidelines for the use of radioactive m aterials in anim als:
1.

The adm inistration of radioactive m aterials to/into anim als and the subsequent dissection
of those anim als should be perform ed in trays lined with absorbent padding.

2.

Cages that house anim als containing radioactive m aterials should be labeled with the
nam e of the radionuclide, activity per anim al, date of adm inistration, and Authorized
User's nam e.

3.

Volatile and readily dispersible radioactive m aterial should be adm inistered in a fum e
hood. Subsequent work with the anim al m ay also be best handled within the fum e hood.

4.

Anim al carcasses and tissues containing radioactive m aterial should be placed in a yellow
plastic bag. Do not include any other m aterials such as pads, tubing, needles,
instrum ents, etc. with the carcass. The bags can then be taken to a radioactive waste
storage area during scheduled hours or by special arrangem ent. Radioactive anim als
and tissues should be kept refrigerated or frozen before delivery to Radiation Safety
personnel.

5.

Anim al excreta m ay be disposed of through the sanitary sewer in accordance with the
applicable lim its for liquid waste (30 uCi/day).

6.

Any m aterial returned to the institutional anim al care facility, such as cages, m ust be
decontam inated prior to return.

I. PERSONNEL RADIATION MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

External Monitoring
The following table sum m arizes the various types of radiation work perform ed under the University of
Pittsburgh licenses. For each type of work, the type of m onitoring (if any) is indicated.
For radioisotope users, dosim etry is required for the handling of m aterial in quantities equal to or greater
than the indicated activity. For exam ple, a radiation worker handling 5 m Ci or m ore of Cr-51 is required to
wear both ring and whole body dosim eters; however, a worker handling less than 5 m Ci is not required to
wear dosim etry. It is also required that all workers who have been issued dosim etry wear it at all tim es
when handling isotopes, regardless of the activity level.

27

Type of Radiation W ork

Activity level for

Ring Badge

Activity level for

W hole Body Badge

1) Radioisotopes (For isotopes not listed, contact RSO for guidance)

Photon Em itters
Group 1 Na-22, Sc-46, Fe-59,
Co-60, Sr-85, Nb-95

1 m Ci

5 m Ci

Group 2 Cr-51, Co-57, I-125,

I-131, Ce-141, In-111

5 m Ci

5 m Ci

1 m Ci

5 m Ci

Beta Em itters
Em ax > 500 Kev
P-32, Cl-36, Rb-86
Em ax < 500 Kev
H-3, C-14, S-35,
Ca-45, Ni-63, P-33

Not required

Not required

2)

Sealed sources or gam m a

irradiators

As required by RSO

As required by RSO

3)

Analytical x-ray equipm ent

yes

As required by RSO

4)

Clinical or research x-ray

equipm ent

As required by RSO

yes

5)

Particle accelerator

As required by RSO

yes

Internal Monitoring
Bioassays will be conducted for personnel handling or processing unsealed sources of radioactive
m aterial in excess of the am ounts stated in the DEP license docum entation. In addition, bioassays will be
conducted when deem ed necessary, such as part of investigations into accidental releases. Individuals
involved in uses which require bioassay will be inform ed of the specific requirem ents by the RSO.

J. AIR SAMPLING AND POST-EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE SURVEYS

Air m onitoring is required to be perform ed during experim ents involving volatile radioactive com pounds in
quantities requiring bioassay in order to assure that concentrations of radioactivity in workplace air or
released air do not present an exposure hazard or exceed legal lim its. Arrangem ents for air sam pling
m ust be m ade with the RSO.
Post procedure contam ination surveys are required following experim ents utilizing quantities of radioactive
m aterials which require a bioassay in order to assure that contam ination has not been spread over the
work area. Surveys should be docum ented and filed with regular laboratory surveys for review by RSO
staff.
The following table sum m arizes the conditions under which air m onitoring and/or post-experim ental
procedure surveys are required:

28

TABLE 11: CRITERIA FOR AIR MONITORING AND POST PROCEDURE SURVEYS
Radioactive m aterial use

Air m onitoring

Post-procedure survey

Labeling procedure
using > 1 m Ci of a
radioiodine com pound

Yes

Yes

Procedure using > 2.5 ALI*

of any volatile radionuclide

Yes

Yes

Procedure using > 25 ALI*

of a non-volatile
radionuclide com pound

No

Yes

* ALI values are listed in Appendix C.

K. SCINTILLATION COUNTING
Only biodegradable or environm entally safe scintillation cocktails m ay be used, unless a special
exem ption is granted by the Radiation Safety Office. A list of acceptable cocktails is available from the
RSO.
Plastic vials m ust be used unless a special exem ption is granted by the Radiation Safety Office.

L. PREGNANT RADIATION WORKER POLICY:

Title:

Lim its On Occupational Radiation Exposure to Em ployees W ho Are Pregnant or Breast

Feeding

Background:

Exposure of the em bryo/fetus to ionizing radiation carries a risk of causing certain

adverse health effects such as cancer and developm ental abnorm alities. Accordingly,
the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurem ent (NCRP) has
recom m ended that the total dose equivalent to the em bryo/fetus from occupational
exposure of the expectant m other not exceed 500 m Rem (NCRP Report No. 53), and
that once the pregnancy is known, exposure of the em bryo/fetus not exceed 50 m Rem
in any m onth (NCRP No. 91). The Nuclear Regulatory Com m ission (NRC) requires (in
revised 10 CFR 20.1208) that the dose to an em bryo/fetus during the entire pregnancy,
due to occupational exposure of a declared pregnant wom an, not exceed 500 m Rem ,
and that substantial variations in a uniform m onthly exposure rate to satisfy this lim it be
avoided. The dose to the em bryo/fetus is taken as the sum of the external deep dose
equivalent to the pregnant wom an and the dose from radionuclides incorporated in the
em bryo/fetus and pregnant wom an.
In support of the NCRP recom m endations and NRC regulations, the University of
Pittsburgh's Radiation Safety Com m ittee has instituted the following policy and
guidelines for occupational radiation exposure of em ployees who are pregnant or
breast-feeding.

Policy:

The dose to an em bryo/fetus during the entire pregnancy, due to occupational

exposure of a declared pregnant wom an, will be lim ited to 500 m Rem . Substantial
variations in a uniform m onthly exposure rate should be avoided. Lim its of exposure
to the general population will be applied to a nursing infant. W ork restrictions m ay be
required in order to m eet the intent of this policy.

29

Procedure:

A radiation worker who becom es pregnant should notify her departm ent head or
supervisor as early as possible. If the em ployee chooses not to declare the
pregnancy to the Radiation Safety Office, additional controls and m onitoring for her
radiation exposure cannot be im plem ented.
Declarations of pregnancy m ust be m ade in writing and subm itted to the Radiation
Safety Office.
Upon notification of pregnancy, the RSO will provide instruction on the risks of
radiation exposure to the em bryo/fetus and review NRC Regulatory Guide 8.13
"Instruction Concerning Prenatal Radiation Exposure". The RSO will also evaluate
the em ployee's radiation work environm ent, past exposure history and potential for
future exposure. Based on this inform ation, the RSO m ay m ake recom m endations or
im pose restrictions regarding the em ployee's duties involving occupational radiation
exposure. This review and evaluation will be docum ented, signed by the em ployee,
the em ployee's departm ent head or supervisor, the Radiation Safety Officer, and be
filed in the RSO.
The pregnant em ployee m ay continue working in those areas and job duties where it
is unlikely that her external and internal radiation exposures will exceed the total and
m onthly lim its to the em bryo/fetus, with proper attention to safe radiation practices. A
pregnant em ployee will be restricted from those areas and job duties where there is
potential for a significant radiation dose to the em bryo/fetus from either an external or
internal exposure. Exam ples of these types of situations are, but not lim ited to:
adm inistration of radiopharm aceutical therapy or brachytherapy, caring for patients
receiving radiopharm aceutical therapy or brachytherapy, and perform ing iodinations or
working in a laboratory where radioactive iodine in a volatile form is being used.
Appropriate radiation m onitoring will be provided if it is likely that the em bryo/fetus
m ight receive an external dose of m ore than 50 m Rem during the entire pregnancy.
Bioassay will be required to m onitor internal exposures for workers handling unsealed
sources of radioactive m aterial, if it is likely that an intake of a radionuclide would
exceed 1% of an Annual Lim it on Intake (ALI) during the entire period of gestation.
Records of the dose to the em bryo/fetus will be m aintained with the m other's radiation
dose records.
If the total effective dose to the em bryo/fetus of the declared pregnant wom an
exceeds 400 m Rem , she will be restricted from any further work involving
occupational radiation exposure for the rem ainder of the pregnancy.
An em ployee who is breast-feeding m ay be restricted from those areas and job duties
where unsealed sources of volatile radioactive m aterials are used. Bioassay m ay be
required to m onitor internal exposures of nursing workers handling unsealed sources
of radioactive m aterial. Recom m endations will be m ade, based on the bioassay
results, to assure that the nursing infant does not receive a com m itted effective dose
equivalent of m ore than 100 m Rem .

M. RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURES

Radioactive wastes are an unavoidable byproduct of any use of radioactive m aterials. Once produced
these wastes m ust be disposed of in a m anner which m inim izes im pacts on public health and safety. A
wide variety of laws and regulations are in force at the federal, state and local level which dictate how
wastes are to be packaged, processed or disposed. At the sam e tim e, these wastes m ust be disposed of
in the m ost cost effective m anner possible. The University of Pittsburgh rem ains responsible for all
licensed radioactive m aterials until they have been properly processed, decayed or placed in a licensed
perm anent repository.

30

The following guidelines have been developed to facilitate safe and efficient processing of radioactive
wastes generated by m ost users at the University. It is recognized that while these general procedures
and waste classifications will cover m ost situations, there will be exceptions and special cases. Should
any questions arise as to specific disposal procedures, the Radiation Safety Office should be consulted.

1.

WASTE MINIMIZATION

One of the m ost im portant steps to the safe handling and disposal of radioactive wastes is to m inim ize the
am ount and types of waste generated. This process begins with design of an experim ent and includes
how m aterials are ultim ately used and ultim ately disposed. In all cases the total activity of m aterials used
in an experim ent should be kept as allow as practical. The use of im m unofluorescent, or stable isotope
techniques in place of radiolabeled procedures are exam ples of total avoidance of radioactive waste
production. The use of aqueous or "biodegradable" solvent system s in place of hazardous solvent
system s elim inates the production of costly m ixed wastes. The use of short-lived radionuclides reduces
the volum e of wastes which m ust ultim ately be sent to a perm anent waste facility. Finally where long-lived
isotope use is unavoidable, a significant effort can be m ade to produce the sm allest quantity of
contam inated wastes practical.

2.

WASTE DISPOSAL

W ith the exception of aqueous liquid wastes disposed to the sanitary sewer, and unless a written
exem ption has been granted by the RSO, all radioactive wastes m ust be disposed of by Radiation Safety
Office personnel. It is the responsibility of the authorized user and individual laboratory personnel to
properly package wastes and bring it to an approved rad waste handling site (see TABLE 12). The
Radiation Safety Office will provide all routine packaging m aterials (bags, tags, jugs, absorbent..). Special
m aterials such as sharps containers are to be provided by of the individual authorized user. All nonstandard m aterials m ust be approved by the RSO prior to use.

3.

WASTE STORAGE

All wastes should be stored in appropriate LABELED waste containers and SECURED to prevent
inappropriate disposal. If tem porary (bench top) containers such as beakers or plastic bags are to be
used in the im m ediate work area, they should be em ptied at the end of each day unless they are labeled
and appropriately secured. W astes should be routinely rem oved from the laboratory to one of the waste
processing or storage areas (see TABLE 12).
Solid wastes should be stored in rigid containers with lids, lined with a yellow plastic bag. W here
appropriate these containers should be of such a construction to provide shielding from unnecessary
radiation exposures. The radiation safety office recom m ends that these containers be of "step-top" design.
These containers are to be provided by the individual authorized user. A list of acceptable containers is
available from the Radiation Safety Office. W aste containers should be surveyed frequently for
contam ination. Contam inated containers should be disposed of or decontam inated.
Liquid wastes should be stored in appropriate containers to m inim ize the chance of spillage. Liquid wastes
should be prom ptly solidified or where appropriate, disposed to the sanitary sewer. If bulk liquids are to be
held for storage a secondary container of adequate volum e to contain all spilled liquids should be used. All
containers should be labeled as radioactive waste. If appropriate, they should be of such a construction to
provide shielding from unnecessary radiation exposures.

4.

LABELING WASTES FOR DISPOSAL:

All wastes consigned to the Radiation Safety Office for disposal m ust be labeled with a radioactive waste
tag. Labels are available from the Radiation Safety Office.
Each container of radioactive waste m ust have a properly com pleted radioactive waste tag affixed to it. All
inform ation m ust be legible, in indelible ink, and include:

31

5.

the isotope

an accurate estim ate of activity IN MILLICURIES

the nam e of the authorized user

the date the waste is prepared for disposal.

the type of waste

SEGREGATION OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Segregation of wastes at the point of generation is an essential in the safe handling and disposal of
radioactive wastes. Radioactive wastes within the University system can be broken down into six broad
categories, each with specific disposal requirem ents:
Dry Solid W aste:

Contam inated paper, plastic, and glass associated with radioactive m aterials work,
residual solid radioactive m aterials, contam inated building debris etc..

Liquid W aste:

Any non-hazardous liquid containing dissolved or suspended radioactive m aterials.

Scintillation W aste Vial, plates or bulk liquid wastes and other m aterials containing solutions used in liquid
scintillation counting.
Biological W aste:

Anim al carcasses, blood, tissue sam ples, food wastes, solid or liquid excreta or other
organic m aterial not rendered resistant to decom position.

Mixed W aste:

Any wastes, solid or liquid which possess inherent hazards in addition to being
radioactive, including listed hazardous chem icals, infectious or biohazardous
m aterials.

Sealed Sources:

Radioactive m aterials encapsulated, plated or otherwise incorporated into a solid

support m edia used in association with an instrum ent or device.

In addition to segregation by waste class all wastes m ust also be segregated by isotope. An exception to
this rule m ay be granted by the RSO, such as in the case of m ultiple label experim ents.
W henever possible high activity wastes, such as stock vials, should not be m ixed with regular dry wastes
and should be packaged separately. This is necessary to facilitate shielding and m inim ize storage and/or
disposal volum es.

6.

GENERAL LABORATORY GUIDELINES

All wastes should be stored in a labeled storage container appropriate for the specific waste stream .
Keep volum es as sm all as possible.
Place ONLY radioactive m aterials in the radioactive waste containers - m ixing non-radioactive waste and
radioactive wastes results in unnecessary increases in disposal costs.
NEVER use dry waste containers for free liquids, scintillation vials, biological anim al carcasses, or lead
wastes.
W astes containing hazardous, biological, pathogenic or infectious m aterial m ust be treated to reduce
these potential hazards to the m axim um extent practicable prior to disposal.
W astes m ust not contain or be capable of generating gases, vapors, or fum es harm ful to persons

32

transporting, handling, or disposing of those wastes.

W astes m ust not be pyrophoric. W astes capable of igniting spontaneously m ust be treated and rendered
non-flam m able prior to disposal.
"Sharps" , including but not lim ited to syringes, pasteur pipettes, razor blades, scalpels and broken glass,
m ust be packaged in a specifically designed sharps container.
W here possible, wastes containing low levels of
container.

125

I should be lim ited to less than 10 m icrocuries per

W hen 14 C and 3 H are used in anim als, whenever possible, restrict concentrations to less than 0.05
Ci/gram of anim al tissue.
Dispose of radioactive waste in a tim ely fashion, i.e. at the end of a series of uses. W aste does not need
to be kept until the bag is com pletely full.

7.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

A.

LIQUID W ASTE
Any liquid, other than liquid scintillation fluids, containing dissolved or suspended radioactive
m aterials constitutes liquid radioactive waste. Liquid wastes can be classified into three basic
groups:
LOW LEVEL AQUEOUS/W ATER SOLUBLE W ASTES
Radioactive liquid wastes which are fully soluble or biologically dispersible in water m ay be
discharged directly into the sanitary sewer system via a designated radiation sink drain. The
perm issible lim it of disposal by this m eans is restricted to less than 100 m icrocuries per day of
3
H, and 30 m icrocuries per day of all other nuclides com bined, averaged over a week. Alpha
em itting nuclides are not perm itted to be disposed of by this m eans. Sinks m ust be
appropriately designated and labeled (one sink per laboratory).
Taking care to m inim ize splashing, pour the liquid waste directly into the drain with the water
turned off. This should be followed im m ediately by a water flush with copious quantities of
water. All disposal m ust be recorded on a sink log noting the date, isotope activity and the
initials of the person disposing of the m aterial. If total activities greater than the weekly lim its
are generated contact the Radiation Safety Office for special disposal directions.
HIGH LEVEL AQUEOUS/W ATER SOLUBLE W ASTES:
Aqueous or water soluble wastes excluded from sink disposal due to their activity or other
characteristics, such as alpha em itters, m ust be solidified or absorbed with an approved m edia.
Plastic jugs containing approved solidification m edia are available through the Radiation Safety
Office. Once treated, these wastes should be placed in yellow plastic bags and labeled with the
authorized user's nam e, the isotope, the estim ated activity and the date of closure. (Treated
liquid wastes m ay be disposed of with higher level dry solid wastes).
Never accum ulate high level liquid wastes in the laboratory without appropriate containm ent
and shielding.
NON-AQUEOUS W ASTES (EPA - "MIXED W ASTE")
Most non-aqueous liquid wastes are excluded from sink disposal due to their insolubility or
other characteristics. They m ust be packaged in accordance with both DEP and EPA
hazardous waste regulations. Specific disposal direction m ust be obtained from the Radiation
Safety Office PRIOR to generating these types of waste.

33

B.

DRY SOLID W ASTE

Dry com pactable radioactive wastes such as gloves, padding, paper, plastic and glass should
be segregated according to isotope and placed into appropriate labeled waste containers lined
with RSO approved yellow plastic bags. W henever possible low level wastes such as paper
wastes, gloves etc., should be kept separate from high level m aterials such as colum ns, gels
and residual stock vials.

C.

"SHARPS" W ASTE
All broken glassware, needles, pipettes and other item s which can penetrate the waste bags
should be placed into a sharps container for disposal. These containers should then be placed
into a yellow waste bag and appropriately closed and labeled.

D.

LEAD W ASTE
Lead containers m ust be packaged separately from norm al solid wastes. As with all
radioactive wastes, these bags m ust be labeled clearly with a radioactive waste tag. Em pty
containers should be bagged with the lids or caps detached. Vials of radioactive m aterial MAY
be left in the lead container to provide shielding for any residual activity. The rem aining activity
m ust be clearly m arked on the waste tag. If large lead objects such as contam inated shielding
bricks are involved, please contact the Radiation Safety Office for instructions.

E.

LIQUID SCINTILLATION W ASTE

Vials, tubes or other containers used with or containing solutions used for liquid scintillation
counting constitute liquid scintillation wastes. If available, scintillation vials should be repacked
into the original cardboard trays or cartons. The RSO will accept a com plete carton of trays if it
is taped closed and a com pleted waste tag applied. Mini vials and bulk tubes should be placed
into a yellow plastic bag.
RESEARCHERS MUST USE PLASTIC SCINTILLATION VIALS AND NON-HAZARDOUS
BIODEGRADABLE SCINTILLATION MEDIA, UNLESS OTHERW ISE SPECIFICALLY
AUTHORIZED BY THE RADIATION SAFETY OFFICE.
SCINTILLATION W ASTES ARE NOT TO BE DISPOSED OF BY POURING DOW N THE
DRAIN.
SPECIAL DISPOSAL ARRANGEMENTS MUST BE MADE FOR GLASS VIALS, BULK
LIQUIDS AND TOLUENE/XYLENE AND OTHER FLAMMABLE SOLVENT BASED W ASTES.

F.

BIOLOGICAL W ASTE
The carcasses of research anim als used with radioactive m aterials and any solid or liquid
radioactive waste containing significant quantities of tissue or excreta are classified as
biological wastes. These wastes require special handling and packaging in order to m eet
disposal criteria. As such they MUST BE SEGREGATED from other waste stream s and
properly identified
ANIMAL CARCASSES
The rem ains of experim ental anim als, organ or tissues to which radioactive m aterials have
been adm inistered should be placed into yellow plastic bags properly labeled and frozen
im m ediately. These wastes are then to be transferred directly to a designated storage freezer,
or to the waste processing areas attended by Radiation Safety personnel.

W hen using 14 C and 3 H, whenever possible restrict concentrations to less than 0.05
Ci/gram of anim al tissue. This facilitates disposal as De Minim is waste.

The use of form aldehyde/form alin and other hazardous chem ical agents m ust be
restricted. These wastes constitute a m ixed waste stream and are very difficult to
34

dispose of. If these agents are to be used please contact the Radiation Safety Office
for special packaging procedures.

Blood, urine and other liquid biological wastes, not suitable for sanitary sewer
disposal, m ust be adsorbed with an approved m edia or otherwise converted to solid
form prior to disposal. These m aterials MAY NOT be disposed as regular dry solid or
absorbed liquid waste.

Ashed, freeze dried, or otherwise desiccated biological wastes m ay be disposed of as

dry solid wastes only if liquids are excluded from the sam e package.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CARCASSES TO BE PLACED IN RAD
W ASTE DRUMS, OR STORED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE !!

OTHER BIOLOGICAL W ASTES

Materials associated with anim al or tissue work containing significant biological m aterial m ust
be treated as biological waste. This category of waste includes any m aterial which will
decom pose at room tem perature to release gasses, vapors or fum es which m ay be hazardous
to personnel transporting or otherwise handling these m aterials.

35

TABLE 12: RADIOACTIVE W ASTE PROCESSING AND STORAGE LOCATIONS

Location

W aste receipt

Biom edical Science Tower 3

Access key obtained through Dock Manager

Room 2023
Biom edical Science Tower

Tues 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

BST Loading dock

Bridgeside Point 1

Keys issued to individual users

Loading dock cabinet

Bridgeside Point 2

Card access

Room 201A
Eye and Ear Institute

Tues 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Use BST Loading Dock

GSPH

W ed 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Radiation Safety Office Room , G-7 Parran

Hillm an Cancer Center

W ed 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Room G.7
Langley Hall

Access key obtained through Biological Stock

Parking Garage

Room .

Magee W om ens Hospital

Access key obtained through Safety and

MW H Loading dock

Security Departm ent

Magee W om ens Research Institute

Access with building key

Room 100
Montefiore University Hospital

Access key available on each research floor

Room N-307
Rangos Research Center

Access Keys issued to Individual Users

Room 3528

or available from research adm inistration

Salk Hall

Access Key obtained through Receiving Dept,

Room 222B

Room 224

Scaife Hall

Tues 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Loading dock, Vault A

W PIC

Access key obtained through purchasing office

Room E-110A
FOR FACILITIES NOT LISTED ABOVE CONTACT RSO FOR INSTRUCTION REGARDING W ASTE
DISPOSAL
Revised 9/11

36

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A
LABORATORY SURVEY PROGRAM FORMS
WITH GUIDELINES

LAB SURVEY REPORT

LOCATION:

AUTH. USER:

ISOTOPES IN USE:
SMEAR #

LOCATION

METER cpm

SMEAR Net
dpm

BACKGROUND
RED BAG TRASH
"COLD" TRASH

SURVEY METER:
SCINTILLATION/GAMMA COUNTER:

EFFICIENCY:
EFFICIENCY:

DECONTAMINATION AND RESURVEY REQUIRED IF LEVELS EXCEED:

Radiation equipm ent:
All other areas:
Clean & red bag trash:

2200 dpm rem ovable contam ination

220 dpm rem ovable contam ination
No detectable m eter readings

SURVEYED BY: _____________________________ DATE: ______________

RETAIN THIS RECORD FOR RSO INSPECTION
C:\WP51\FORMS\LABSVY

RESURVEY

2011 LABORATORY SURVEY MASTER CALENDAR

W EEK
BEGINNI
NG
1/3/11
1/10/11
1/17/11
1/24/11
1/31/11
2/7/11
2/14/11
2/21/11
2/28/11
3/7/11
3/14/11
3/21/11
3/28/11
4/4/11
4/11/11
4/18/11
4/25/11
5/2/11
5/9/11
5/16/11
5/23/11
5/30/11
6/6/11
6/13/11
6/20/11
6/27/11
7/4/11
7/11/11
7/18/11
7/25/11
8/1/11
8/8/11
8/15/11
8/22/11
8/29/11
9/5/11
9/12/11
9/19/11
9/26/11
10/3/11
10/10/11
10/17/11
10/24/11
10/31/11
11/7/11
11/14/11
11/21/11
11/28/11
12/5/11
12/12/11
12/19/11
12/26/11

SURVE
Y
DATE

MATERIAL
YES

LOCATION:
METER
SURVE
Y

W IPE
SURVE
Y

INIT

RSO
AU D I
T

Guidelines for Completion of Laboratory Survey Report

1.

Master Calendar page

This page is designed for use as a weekly rem inder/checklist. It m ay be posted or retained with the
individual survey reports. Multiple sheets should be used if m ultiple laboratories are surveyed.
Explanation of each colum n:
"W eek beginning":
"Survey Date":
"Material Used":
"Meter Survey":
"W ipe survey":
"Init":
"RSO Audit":

2.

The Sunday date is shown

Record the actual date each survey is done.
Indicate with check m ark whether radioactive m aterial was used that week
Indicate with check m ark whether a m eter survey was done that week
Indicate with check m ark whether a sm ear survey was done that week
Initials of the individual com pleting this page
To be filled out by representatives of the Radiation Safety Office

Preparing a m aster form for a specific laboratory

The following item s m ay be filled in before duplication for weekly use:
Location
Auth User nam e
Room layout diagram (Note you m ay not wish to num ber item s until the survey is actually perform ed)
Survey m eter used (if sam e each week)
Efficiency for above
Scintillation/gam m a counter used (if sam e each week)
Efficiency for above
DO NOT SIGN THE MASTER FORM IN THE "SURVEYED BY" LINE--Each survey should be signed at
the tim e it is perform ed.

3.

Efficiency of counting instrum ents

Table 1 shows acceptable efficiency factors for specific radionuclides. You m ay use these factors, or
determ ine your own.
TABLE 1
Average Counting Efficiency for Standard Instrum ents 1,2
LSC

PANCAKE GM 3

END W INDOW GM 3

50 %

NOT APPLICABLE

NOT APPLICABLE

90 %

2%

1%

90 %

15 %

10 %

100 %

35 %

20 %

NaI (Thin)

Gam m a counter

Low energy
109
Cd, 125I

45 %

60 %

Medium and high energy

22
Na, 51Cr, 65Zn, 111In, 131I,
46
Sc, 95Nb, 103Ru, 113Sn, 141Ce

30 %

Unit specific

Betas
3

55

H,
14

33
32

P,

P,

Fe,

C,
45

36

35

63

Ni

Ca

Cl,

86

Rb
Photons

1
2
3

Specific efficiency data m ay be determ ined for the specific instrum ents and nuclides in use
in a particular laboratory. That inform ation m ay be used on survey records.
Efficiency m ay be reduced if the em ission rate from a particular radionuclide is less than 100%.
(Detector window 1 cm above source)

4.

Use of scintillation or gam m a counters

Pay particular attention to the counting program used. Verify that the program you use actually has the
energy ranges set for the radionuclide(s) that you use. Each tim e you use the counter, verify that the
program has not been changed (Look at counting tim e, window settings (energy range) selected,
efficiency factors applied).
IF PRINTOUTS ARE IN "DPM", you m ay attach them to the survey report. Otherwise, convert the "CPM"
readings to dpm and record on the survey form .

5.

Conversion of CPM to DPM

Contam ination should be reported in units of activity (DPM). This is different than CPM which is the
num ber of electronic pulses recorded by the instrum ent. The conversion factor is a function of the type
of detector, the counting configuration, and other factors.
The am ount of radioactivity that has been detected by direct m onitoring or by wipe survey can be readily
estim ated by subtracting the background count rate (bkg counts/m in) from the observed count rate (gross
counts/m in) and then dividing the net count rate by the counting efficiency (counts/disintegration) for the
radionuclide in question.
net disintegrations/m in(dpm ) = (gross cpm )-(bkg cpm )
efficiency

An exam ple of this calculation follows:

Assum e one m inute counts
Background counts = 55 Sam ple counts = 470 Efficiency = 0.15
Net DPM = (Sam ple counts - Background counts)/Efficiency
= (470-55)/0.15
= 2767 dpm

At this level, decontam ination is recom m ended.

APPENDIX B
NRC REGULATORY GUIDE 8.13

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGULATORY GUIDE
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH
REGULATORY GUIDE 8.13
(Task OP 031-4)
INSTRUCTION CONCERNING PRENATAL RADIATION EXPOSURE

A. INTRODUCTION
Section 19.12, Instructions to W orkers, of 10
CFR Part 19, Notices, Instructions, and Reports
to W orkers: Inspections, requires that all
individuals working in or Frequenting any portion
of a restricted area1 be instructed in the health
protection problem s associated with exposure to
radioactive m aterials or radiation, in precautions
or procedures to m inim ize exposure, and in the
regulations that they are expected to observe.
The present 10 CFR Part 20, Standards for
Protection Against Radiation, has no special lim it
for exposure of the em bryo/fetus.2 This guide
describes the instructions an em ployer should
provide to workers and supervisors concerning
biological risks to the em bryo/fetus exposed to
radiation, a dose lim it for the em bryo/fetus that is
under consideration, and suggestions for
reducing radiation exposure.
This regulatory guide takes into consideration a
proposed revision to 10 CFR Part 20, which
incorporates the radiation protection guidance for
the em bryo/fetus approved by the President in
January 1987 (Ref.1). This revision to Part 20
was issued in January 1986 for com m ent as a
proposed rule. Com m ents on the guide as it
pertains to the proposed part 20 are encouraged.
If the new Part 20 is codified, this regulatory guide
will be revised to conform to the new regulation
and will incorporate appropriate public com m ents.

Any inform ation collection activities m entioned in

this regulatory guide are contained as
requirem ents in 10 CFR Parts 19 or 20, which
provide the regulatory basis for this guide. The
inform ation collection requirem ents in 10 CFR
Parts 19 and 20 have been cleared under OMB
Clearance Nos. 3150-0044 and 3150-0014,
respectively.
B. DISCUSSION
It has been known since 1906 that cells that are
dividing very rapidly and are undifferentiated in
their structure and function are generally m ore
sensitive to radiation. In the em bryo stage, cells
m eet both these criteria and thus would be
expected to be highly sensitive to radiation.
Furtherm ore, there is direct evidence that the
em bryo/fetus is radiosensitive. There is also
evidence that it is especially sensitive to certain
radiation effects during certain periods after
conception, particularly during the first 2 to 3
m onths after conception when a wom en m ay not

be aware that she is pregnant.

Section 20.104 of 10 CFR Part 20 places
different radiation dose lim its on workers who are
m inors than on adult workers. W orkers under the
age of 18 are lim ited to one-tenth of the adult
radiation dose lim its. However, the present
NRC regulations do not establish dose lim its
specifically for the em bryo/fetus.
The NRCs present lim it on the radiation dose
that can be received on the job is 1,250 m illirem s
per quarter (3 m onths).1 W orking m inors (those
under 18) are lim ited to a dose equal to one-tenth
that of adults, 125 m illirem s per quarter (See
20.101 of 10 CFR Part 20).
Because of the sensitivity of the unborn child, the
National Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurem ents (NCRP) has recom m ended that
the dose equivalent to the unborn child from
occupational exposure of the m other be lim ited to
500 m illirem s for the entire pregnancy (Ref. 2).
The 1987 Presidential guidance (Ref. 1) specifies
an effective dose equivalent lim it of 500 m illirem
to the unborn child if the pregnancy has been
declared by the m other; the guidance also
recom m ends that substantial variations in the
rate of exposure be avoided. The NRC (in
20.208 of its proposed revision to Part 20) has
proposed adoption of the above lim its on dose
and rate of exposure.
In 1971, the NCRP com m ented on the
occupational exposure of the fertile wom en (Ref.
2) and suggested that fertile wom en should be

Restricted area means any area that has

controlled access to protect individuals from
being exposed to radiation and radioactive
materials.

In conformity with the proposed revision to

10 CFR Part 20, the term embryo/fetus is
used throughout this document to represent
all stages of pregnancy.

The limit is 3,000 millirems per quarter if the

workers occupational dose history is known
and the average dose does not exceed 5,000
millirems per year.

Revision 2 December 1987

em ployed only where the annual dose would be

unlikely to exceed 2 or 3 rem s and would be
accum ulated at a m ore or less steady rate. In
1977, the ICRP recom m ended that, when
pregnancy has been diagnosed, the wom an work
only where it is unlikely that the annual dose
would exceed 0.30 of the dose-equivalent lim it of
5 rem s (Ref. 3). In other words, the ICRP has
recom m ended that pregnant wom en not work
where the annual dose m ight exceed 1.5 rem .
C. REGULATORY POSITION
Instructions on radiation risks should be provided
to workers, including supervisors, in accordance
with 19.12 of 10 CFR Part 19 before they are
allowed to work in a restricted area. In providing
instructions on radiation risks, em ployers should
include specific instructions about the risks of
radiation exposure to the em bryo/fetus.

D. IMPLEMENTATION
The purpose of this section is to provide
inform ation to applicants and licensees regarding
the NRC staffs plans for using this regulatory
guide.
Except in those cases in which an applicant or
licensee purposes an acceptable alternative
m ethod for com plying with specified portions of
the Com m issions regulations, the NRC will use
the m aterial described in this guide to evaluate
the instructional program presented to individuals,
including supervisors, working in or frequenting
any portion of a restricted area.

The instructions should be presented both orally

and in printed form , and the instructions should
include, as a m inim um , the inform ation provided
in Appendix A (Instructors Guide) to this guide.
Individuals should be given the opportunity to ask
questions and in turn should be questioned to
determ ine whether they understand the
instructions. An acceptable m ethod of ensuring
that the inform ation is understood is to give a
sim ple written test covering the m aterial included
in Appendix B (Pregnant W orkers Guide). This
approach should highlight for instructors those
parts of the instructions that cause difficulties and
thereby lead to appropriate m odifications in the
instructional curriculum .
APPENDIX A
INSTRUCTORS GUIDE
EFFECTS ON THE EMBRYO/FETUS OF EXPOSURE TO RADIATION
AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
In order to decide whether to continue working
while exposed to ionizing radiation during her
pregnancy, a wom an should understand the
potential effects on an em bryo/fetus, including
those that m ay be produced by various
environm ental risks such as sm oking and
drinking. This will allow her to com pare these
risks with those produced by exposure to
ionizing radiation.

from which the inform ation in Table 1 was

derived. The results of exposure of the
em bryo/fetus to the risk factors and the
dependence on the am ount of the exposure are
explained.

Table 1 provides inform ation on the potential

effects resulting from exposure of an
em bryo/fetus to radiation and nonradiation risks.
The second colum n gives the rate at which the
effect is produced by natural causes in term s of
the num ber per thousand cases. The fourth
colum n gives the num ber of additional effects
per thousand cases believed to be produced by
exposure to the specified am ount of the risk
factor.

Num erous studies of radiation-induced

childhood cancer have been perform ed, but a
num ber of them are controversial. The National
Academ y of Science (NAS) BEIR report
reevaluated the data from these studies and
even reanalyzed the results. Som e of the
strongest support for a casual relationship is
provided by twin data from the Oxford survey
(Ref. 4). For m aternal radiation doses of 1,000
m illirem s, the excess num ber of deaths (above
those occurring from natural causes) was found
to be 0.6 death per thousand children (Ref. 4).

The following section discusses the studies

2.
1.1

RADIATION RISKS
Childhood Cancer

1.2 Mental Retardation and Abnorm al

Sm allness of Head (Microcephaly)
Studies of Japanese children who were
exposed while in the wom b to the atom ic bom b
radiation at Hiroshim a and Nagasaki have
shown evidence of both sm all head size and
m ental retardation. Most of the children were
exposed to radiation doses in the range of 1 to
50 rads. The im portance of the m ost recent
study lies in the fact that investigators were able
to show that the gestational age (age of the
em bryo/fetus after conception) at the tim e the
children were exposed was a critical factor (Ref.
7). The approxim ate risk of sm all head size as
a function of gestational age is shown in Table
1. For a radiation dose of 1,000 m illirem s at 4
to 7 weeks after conception, the excess cases
of sm all head size was 5 per thousand; at 8 to
11 weeks, it was 9 per thousand (Ref. 7).

2.

NON-RADIATION RISKS

2.1 Occupation
A recent study (Ref. 9) involving the birth
records of 130,000 children in the State of
W ashington indicates that the risk of death to
the unborn child is related to the occupation of
the m other. W orkers in the m etal industry, the
chem ical industry, m edical technology, the
wood industry, the textile industry, and farm s
exhibited stillbirths or spontaneous abortions at
a rate of 90 per thousand above that of workers
in the control group, which consisted of workers
in several other industries.
2.2 Alcohol
It has been recognized since ancient tim es that
alcohol consum ption had an effect on the
unborn child. Carthaginian law forbade the
consum ption of wine on the wedding night so
that a defective child m ight not be conceived.
Recent studies have indicated that sm all
am ounts of alcohol consum ption have only the
m inor effect of reducing the birth weight slightly,
but when consum ption increases to 2 to 4
drinks per day, a pattern of abnorm alities called
the fetal alcohol syndrom e (FAS) begins to
appear (Ref. 11). This syndrom e consists of
reduced growth in the unborn child, faulty brain
function, and abnorm al facial features. There
is a syndrom e that has the sam e sym ptom s as
full-blown FAS that occurs in children born to
m others who have not consum ed alcohol. This
naturally occurring syndrom e occurs in about 1
to 2 cases per thousand (Ref. 10). For m others
who consum e 2 to 4 drinks per day, the excess
occurrences num ber about 100 per thousand;

In another study, the highest risk of m ental

retardation occurred during the 8 to 15 week
period after conception (Ref. 8). A recent EPA
study (Ref. 16) has calculated that excess
cases of m ental retardation per live birth lie
between 0.5 and 4 per thousand per rad.
1.3 Genetic Effects
Radiation-induced genetic effects have not
been observed to date in hum ans. The largest
source of m aterial for genetic studies involves
the survivors of Hiroshim a and Nagasaki, but
the 77,000 births that occurred am ong the
survivors showed no evidence of genetic
effects. For doses received by the pregnant
worker in the course of em ploym ent considered
in this guide, the dose received by the
em bryo/fetus apparently would have a negligible
effect on descendants (Refs. 17 and 18).

and for those who consum e m ore than 4 drinks

per day, excess occurrences num ber 200 per
thousand. The m ost sensitive period for this
effect of alcohol appears to be the first few
weeks after conception, before the m other-to-be
realizes she is pregnant (Refs. 10 and 11).
Also, 17% or 170 per thousand of the
em bryo/fetuses of chronic alcoholics develop
FAS and die before birth (Ref. 15). FAS was
first identified in 1973 in the United States
where less than full-blown effects of the
syndrom e are now referred to as fetal alcohol
effects (FAE) (Ref. 12).
2.3 Sm oking
Sm oking during pregnancy causes reduced
birth weights in babies am ounting to 5 to 9
ounces on the average. In addition, there is an
increased risk of 5 infant deaths per thousand
for m others who sm oke less than one pack per
day and 10 infant deaths per thousand for
m others who sm oke one or m ore packs per day
(Ref. 13).
2.4 Miscellaneous
Num erous other risks affect the em bryo/fetus,
only a few of which are touched upon here.
Most people are fam iliar with the drug
thalidom ide (a sedative given to som e pregnant
wom en), which causes children to be born with
m issing lim bs, and the m ore recent use of the
drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic
estrogen given to som e wom en to treat
m enstrual disorders, which produced vaginal
cancers in the daughters born to wom en who
took the drug. Living at high altitudes also gives
rise to an increase in the num ber of low-birth-

weight children born, while an increase in

Downs Syndrom e (Mongolism ) occurs in
children born to m others who are over 35 years
of age. The rapid growth in the use of

ultrasound in recent years has sparked an

ongoing investigation into the risks of using
ultrasound for diagnostic procedures (Ref. 19).

TABLE 1
EFFECTS OF RISKS FACTORS ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME
EFFECT

NUM BER
OCCURRING FROM
NATURAL CAUSES

RISK
FACTOR

EXCESS
OCCURRENCES
FROM RISK
FACTOR

RADIATION RISKS
Childhood Cancer
Cancer death in
children

1.4 per thousand (Ref.

5)

Radiation dose of 1000

m illirem s received before
birth

0.6 per thousand

(Ref. 4)

Abnorm alities
Radiation dose of 1000
m illirads received during
specific periods after
conception:
Sm all head size

40 per thousand (Ref.

6)

4-7 weeks after conception

5 per thousand
(Ref. 7)

Sm all head size

40 per thousand (Ref.

6)

8-11 weeks after

conception

9 per thousand
(Ref. 7)

Mental retardation

4 per thousand (Ref. 8)

Radiation dose of 1000

m illirads received 8 to 15
weeks after conception

4 per thousand
(Ref. 8)

Non Radiation Risks

Occupation
Stillbirth or
spontaneous abortion

200 per thousand (Ref.

9)

W ork in high-risk
occupations (see text)

90 per thousand
(Ref. 9)

Alcohol Consum ption

(see text)
Fetal alcohol
syndrom e

1 to 2 per thousand
(Ref. 10)

2-4 drinks per day

100 per thousand

(Ref. 11)

Fetal alcohol
syndrom e

1 to 2 per thousand
(Ref. 10)

More than 4 drinks per day

200 per thousand

(Ref. 11)

Fetal alcohol
syndrom e

1 to 2 per thousand
(Ref. 10)

Chronic alcoholic
(m ore than 10 drinks per
day)

350 per thousand

(Ref. 12)

Perinatal infant death

(around the tim e of
birth)

23 per thousand (Refs.

13, 14)

Chronic alcoholic (m ore

than 10 drinks per day)

170 per thousand

(Ref. 15)

Smoking
Perinatal infant death

23 per thousand (Refs.

13, 14)

Less than 1 pack per day

5 per thousand
(Ref. 13)

Perinatal infant death

23 per thousand (Refs.

13, 14)

One pack or m ore per day

10 per thousand
(Ref. 13)

APPENDIX B
PREGNANT W ORKERS GUIDE
POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS TO CHILDREN OF W OMEN W HO ARE EXPOSED TO RADIATION
DURING PREGNANCY
During pregnancy, you should be aware of
things in your surroundings or your style of life
that could affect your unborn child. For those of
you who work in or visit areas designated as
Restricted Areas (where access is controlled to
protect individuals from being exposed to
radiation and radioactive m aterials), it is
desirable that you understand the biological
risks of radiation to your unborn child.
Everyone is exposed daily to various kinds of
radiation: Heat, light, ultraviolet, m icrowave,
ionizing, and so on. For the purposes of this
guide only ionizing radiation (such as x-rays,
gam m a rays, neutrons, and other high-speed
atom ic particles) is considered. Actually,
everything is radioactive and all hum an activities
involve exposure to radiation. People are
exposed to different am ounts of natural
background ionizing radiation depending on
where they live. Radon gas in hom es is a
problem of growing concern. Background
radiation com es from three sources:
Average Annual Dose
Terrestrial - radiation from soil
and rocks
50 m Rem
Cosm ic - radiation from space
50 m Rem
Radioactivity norm ally found
within the hum an body
25 m Rem
125 m Rem *
Dosage range (geographic and other factors)
75 to 5,000 m illirem
The first two of these sources expose the body
from the outside, and the last one exposes it
from the inside. The average person is thus
exposed to a total dose of about 125 m illirem s
per year from natural background radiation.

Radiation doses in this docum ent are

described in two different units. The
rad is a m easure of the am ount of
energy absorbed in a certain am ount of
m aterial (100 ergs per gram ). Equal
am ounts of energy absorbed from
different types of radiation m ay lead to
different biological effects. The rem is
a unit that reflects the biological
dam age done to the body. The m illirad
and m illirem refer to 1/1000 of a rad
and a rem , respectively

In addition to exposure from norm al background

radiation, m edical procedures m ay contribute to
the dose people receive. The following table

lists the average doses received by the bone

m arrow (the blood-form ing cells) from different
m edical applications.

X-Ray Procedure

Average
Dose*

Norm al chest exam ination

Norm al dental exam ination
Rib cage exam ination
Gall bladder exam ination
Barium enem a exam ination
Pelvic exam ination

10 m illirem
10 m illirem
140 m illirem
170 m illirem
500 m illirem
600 m illirem

*Variations by a factor of 2 (above and below)

are not unusual.
NRC POSITION
NRC regulations and guidance are based on
the conservative assum ption that any am ount of
radiation, no m atter how sm all, can have a
harm ful effect on an adult, child, or unborn
child. This assum ption is said to be
conservative because there are no data
showing ill effects from sm all doses; the
National Academ y of Sciences recently
expressed uncertainty as to whether a dose of,
say, 1 rad would have any effect at all.
Although it is known that the unborn child is
m ore sensitive to radiation than adults,
particularly during certain stages of
developm ent, the NRC has not established a
special dose lim it for protection of the unborn
child. Such a lim it could result in job
discrim ination for wom en of child-bearing age
and perhaps in the invasion of privacy (if
pregnancy tests were required) if a separate
regulatory dose lim it were specified for the
unborn child. Therefore, the NRC has taken the
position that special protection of the unborn
child should be voluntary and should be based
on decisions m ade by workers and em ployers
who are well inform ed about the risks involved.
For the NRC position to be effective, it is
im portant that both em ployee and the em ployer
understand the risk to the unborn child from
radiation received as a result of the
occupational exposure of the m other. This
docum ent tries to explain the risk as clearly as
possible and to com pare it with other risks to
the unborn child during pregnancy. It is hoped
this will help pregnant em ployees balance the
risk to the unborn child against the benefits of
em ploym ent to decide if the risk is worth taking .

This docum ent also discusses m ethods of

keeping the dose, and therefore the risk, to the
unborn child as low as is reasonably achievable.
RADIATION DOSE LIMITS
The NRCs present lim it on the radiation dose
that can be received on the job is 1, 250
m illirem s per quarter (3 m onths).* W orking
m inors (those under 18) are lim ited to a dose
equal to one-tenth that of adults, 125 m illirem s
per quarter. (See 20.101 of 10 CFR Part 20).
Because of the sensitivity of the unborn child,
the National Council on Radiation Protection
and Measurem ents (NCRP) has recom m ended
that the dose equivalent to the unborn child
from occupational exposure of the expectant
m other be lim ited to 500 m illirem s for the entire
pregnancy (Ref. 2). The 1987 Presidential
guidance (Ref. 1) specifies an effective dose
equivalent lim it of 500 m illirem s to the unborn
child if the pregnancy has been declared by the
m other; the guidance also recom m ends that
substantial variations in the rate of exposure be
avoided. The NRC (in 20.208 of its proposed
revision to Part 20) has proposed adoption of
the above lim its on dose and rate of exposure.

also be aware that there is a risk of radioactive

m aterial entering the body in workplaces where
unsealed radioactive m aterial issued. Nuclear
m edicine clinics, laboratories, and certain
m anufacturers use radioactive m aterial in bulk
form , often as a liquid or a gas. A list of the
com m only used m aterials and safety
precautions for each is beyond the scope of this
docum ent, but certain general precautions
m ight include the following:
C

C
C

C
C

Do not sm oke, eat , drink, or apply

cosm etics around radioactive
m aterial.
Do not pipette solutions by m outh.
Use disposable gloves while
handling radioactive m aterial when
feasible.
W ash hands after working around
radioactive m aterial.
W ear laboratory coats or other
protective clothing whenever there
is a possibility of spills.

Rem em ber that the em ployer is required to

have dem onstrated that it will have safe
procedures and practices before the NRC
issues it a license to use radioactive m aterial.
W orkers are urged to follow established
procedures and consult the em ployers radiation
safety officer or health physicist whenever
problem s or questions arise.

ADVICE FOR EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER

Although the risks to the unborn child are sm all
under norm al working conditions, it is still
advisable to lim it the radiation dose from
occupational exposure to no m ore that than 500
m illirem s for the total pregnancy. Em ployee
and em ployer should work together to decide
the best m ethod for accom plishing this goal.
Som e m ethods that m ight be used include
reducing the tim e spent in radiation areas,
wearing som e shielding over the abdom inal
area, and keeping an extra distance from
radiation sources when possible. The em ployer
or health physicist will be able to estim ate the
probable dose to the unborn child during the
norm al nine m onth pregnancy period and to
inform the em ployee of the am ount. If the
predicted dose excess 500 m illirem , the
em ployee and em ployer should work out
schedules or procedures to lim it the dose to the
500-m illirem recom m ended lim it.
It is im portant that the em ployee inform the
em ployer of her condition as soon as she
realizes she is pregnant if the dose to the
unborn child is to be m inim ized.

INTERNAL HAZARDS
The docum ent has been directed prim arily
toward a discussion of radiation doses received
from sources outside the body. W orkers should

The lim it is 3,000 m illirem s per quarter

if the workers occupational dose history
is known and the average dose does
not exceed 5,000 m illirem s per year.

VALUE/IMPACT STATEMENT
A draft value/im pact statem ent was published
with the proposed Revision 2 to Regulatory
Guide 8.13 (Task OP 031-4) when the draft
guide was published for public com m ent in
August 1981. No changes were necessary, so
a separate value/im pact statem ent for the final
guide has not been prepared. A copy of the
draft value/im pact statem ent is available for
inspection and copying for a fee at the
Com m issions Public Docum ent Room at 1717
H Street NW ., W ashington DC, under Task OP
031-4.

REFERENCES
Pediatrics, Vol. 92, pp. 457-460, 1978.
1.

2.

Federal Radiation Protection Guidance for

Occupational Exposure Exposure, Federal
Register, p,2822, January 27, 1987.
National Council on Radiation Protection
and Measurements, Basic Radiation
Protection Criteria, NCRP Report No. 39,
1971.

11.

D. W. Smith, Alcohol Effects on the

Fetus, Progress in Clinical and Biological
Research, Vol 36, pp. 73-82, 1980.

12.

L. B. Robe, Alcohol and Pregnancy, The

American Medical Association, Box 10946,
Chicago, 1984.

3.

International Commission on Radiological

Protection, Recommendations of the
International Commission on Radiological
Protection, ICRP Publication No. 26, Vol.
1, No. 3, 1977.

13.

M. B. Meyer and J. A. Tonascia, Maternal

Smoking, Pregnancy Complications, and
Perinatal Mortality,American Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol 128, No. 5,
pp. 494-502, 1977.

4.

National Academy of Sciences, The

Effects on Populations of Exposure to Low
Levels of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR III),
National Academy, Press, Washington, DC,
1980.

14.

R. H. Mole, Radiation Effects on Pre-Natal

Development and Their Radiological
Significance, The British Journal of
Radiology, Vol 52; No. 614, pp-89-101,
February 1979.

5.

J. L. Young and R. W. Miller, Incidence of

Malignant Tumors in U.S. Children, Journal
of Pediatrics, pp. 254-258, 1975.

15.

D. A. Roe, Alcohol and the Diet, AVI

Publishing Company Inc., Westport,
Connecticut, 1979.

6.

W. J. Blot, Growth and Development

Following Prenatal and Childhood Exposure
to Atomic Radiation, Journal of Radiation
Research (Supplement), pp. 83-85, 1975.

16.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Radionuclides, Background Information
Document EPA 520/1-84-022-1, pp. 8-56
8-63.

7.

R. W. Miller and J. J. Mulvihill, Small Head

Size After Atomic Radiation, Teratology,
Vol. 14, pp. 355-358, 1976.

17.

G. W. Beebe, The Atomic Bomb Survivors

and the Problem of Low-Dose Radiation
Effects, American Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol. 114, No. 6, pp. 761-783, 1981.

8.

M. Otake and W. J. Schull, In Utero

Exposure to A-bomb Radiation and Mental
Retardation; a Reassessment, The British
Journal of Radiology, Vol 57, pp. 409-414,
1984.

18.

W. J. Blot et al., Reproductive Potential of

Males Exposed in Utero or Prepubertally to
Atomic Radiation, in Atomic Bomb
Casualty Commission Technical Report TR39-72, Radiation Effects Research
Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan, 1972.

19.

National Council on Radiation Protection

and Measurements, Protection in Nuclear
and Ultrasound Diagnostic Procedures in
Children, NCRP Report No. 73, 1983.

9.

10.

T. L. Vaughan et al, Fetal Death and

Maternal Occupation, Journal of
Occupational Medicine, Vol. 26, No. 9, pp.
676-678, 1984.
J. W. Hanson, A. P. Streissguth, and D. W.
Smith, The Effects of Moderate Alcohol
Consumption During Pregnancy on Fetal
Growth and Morphogenesis, Journal of

APPENDIX C
INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC RADIONUCLIDES

Table of ALI* values in m Ci

2.5 ALI

25 ALI

C-14

Na

50

Ca-45

Na

50

Cd-109

Na

7.5

Ce-141

Na

50

Cl-36

Na

50

Cr-51

Na

1000

Fe-55

Na

225

H-3

200

2000

I-125

0.1

I-131

0.075

0.75

In-111

Na

100

Na-22

Na

10

Nb-95

Na

50

P-32

Na

15

P-33

Na

150

Rb-86

Na

12.5

Ru-103

Na

50

S-35

25

250

Sc-46

Na

22.5

Sn-113

Na

50

Sr-85

Na

75

Tc-99m

Na

2000

Zn-65

Na

10

* ALI (Annual Lim it on Intake) is the derived annual lim it for the am ount of radioactive m aterial taken into
the body by inhalation or ingestion, which would result in the annual allowable occupational dose for that
year.

Cd-109

109

CADMIUM

Cd

Half-life:

464 days

Type of Decay:

Electron Capture

Energy of Radiation:

0.088 MeV (Ag-109m )

0.062 MeV,
0.084 MeV (e -)

Lead Shielding HVL

0.8 m m

0.031 in

Lead Shielding TVL

3.0 m m

0.12 in

Critical Organ:

Kidney

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.3 m Ci

Notes:
Shield with lead
For detection of Cd-109 use NaI scintillation survey instrum ents or gam m a counters.

Ca-45

CALCIUM

45

Ca

Half-life:

163 days

Type of Decay:

Beta -

Energy of Radiation:

0.257 MeV (100%) m axim um

0.076 MeV average

Maxim um range in air:

48 cm

19 in

Critical Organ:

Bone

Annual Lim it on Intake:

2.0 m Ci

Notes:
Millicurie am ounts of Ca-45 do not present a significant external exposure hazard because the low
energy beta particles barely penetrate the outer dead layer of skin.
For detection of Ca-45 use a thin window G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

C-14

CARBON

14

Half-life:

5730 years

Type of Decay:

Beta -

Energy of Radiation:

0.156 MeV (100%) m axim um

0.049 MeV average

Maxim um range in air:

22 cm

8.6 in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body, Fat, Bone

Annual Lim it on Intake:

2.0 m Ci

Notes:
Millicurie am ounts of C-14 do not present a significant external exposure hazard because the low
energy beta particles barely penetrate the outer dead layer of skin.
Handle potentially volatile com pounds in a fum e hood.
For detection of C-14 use a thin window G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

Cl-36

CHLORINE

36

Cl

Half-life:

301000 years

Type of Decay:

Beta - (98%)
Beta + (.002 %)

Energy of Radiation:

0.710 MeV (98% beta) m ax

Electron Capture (2%)

0.252 MeV average

0.511 MeV (an x-rays)

Maxim um Beta range in air:

2m

7 ft

Maxim um Beta range in water

2.6 m m

0.1 in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body

Annual Lim it on Intake:

2.0 m Ci

Notes:
Use plexiglass/ Lucite shielding (1/4 in).
Cl-36 m ay present a significant skin dose hazard.
Handle potentially volatile com pounds in a fum e hood.
For detection of Cl-36 use thin window G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

Cr-51

CHROMIUM

51

Cr

Half-life:

27.704 days

Type of Decay:

Electron Capture

Energy of Radiation:

0.320 MeV gam m a (9.8%)

0.004 MeV e - (66.9%)

0.005 MeV x-rays (22.3 %)

Lead Shielding HVL

1.7 m m

0.07 in

Lead Shielding TVL

5.6 m m

0.22 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

180 m R/hr

3 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

Lower Large Intestine

Annual Lim it on Intake:

40 m Ci

Notes:
Shield with lead
For detection of Cr-51 use G-M survey instrum ents, liquid scintillation counters or gam m a counters.

In-111

INDIUM

111

In

Half-life:

2.8 days

Type of Decay:

Electron Capture

Energy of Radiation:

0.245 MeV gam m a (94%)

0.171 MeV gam m a (90%)

Lead Shielding HVL

0.23 m m

0.01 in

Lead Shielding TVL

2.03 m m

0.08 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

3210 m R/hr

53.5 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body

Annual Lim it on Intake:

4.0 m Ci

Notes:
Shield with lead
For detection of In-111 use NaI scintillation survey instrum ents or gam m a counters.

I-125

IODINE

125

Half-life:

60.14 days

Type of Decay:

Electron Capture- (100%)

Energy of Radiation:

0.035 MeV gam m a

0.027 MeV x-ray

Lead Shielding HVL

0.02 m m

0.0008 in

Lead Shielding TVL

0.06 m m

0.0024 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

1400 m R/hr

23.3 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

Thyroid

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.04 m Ci

Notes: Iodine has a very high vapor pressure in solution. Handle potentially volatile com pounds in a
fum e hood. (Refer to Guidelines for Iodinations)
For detection of I-125 use NaI scintillation survey instrum ents or gam m a counters.

I-131

IODINE

131

Half-life:

8.04 days

Type of Decay:

Beta - (100%)

Energy of Radiation:

0.606 MeV B- (89%)

0.334 MeV B- (7.4%)
0.248 MeV B- (2.1%)

0.180 MeV average

0.364 MeV gam m a (81.2%)

0.637 MeV gam m a (7.3%)
0.284 MeV gam m a (6.1%)

0.080 MeV gam m a (2.6%)

0.723 MeV gam m a (1.8%)
0.030 MeV x-ray (3.9%)

Maxim um Beta range in air:

165 cm

65 in

Lead Shielding HVL

2.3 m m

0.09 in

Lead Shielding TVL

8.7 m m

0.34 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

2160 m R/hr

36 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

Thyroid

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.030 m Ci

Notes:
Shield with lead
Iodine has a very high vapor pressure in solution. Handle potentially volatile com pounds in a fum e hood.
(Refer to Guidelines for Iodinations)
For detection of I-131 use G-M survey instrum ents, NaI scintillation survey instrum ents or gam m a
counters.

P-32

PHOSPHORUS

32

Half-life:

14.29 days

Type of Decay:

Beta- (100%)

Energy of Radiation:

1.710 MeV m axim um

0.695 MeV average

Maxim um Beta range in air:

6m

20 ft

Maxim um Beta range in water

8 mm

0.3 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

26000 m R/hr

433.3 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

Bone

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.6 m Ci

Notes:
Use plexiglass / Lucite shielding (3/8 inch)
P-32 m ay present a significant skin and ocular exposure hazard.
Large quantities of P-32 (>100 m Ci) can produce significant secondary radiations which m ay represent
a whole body exposure hazard. Shield with plexiglass/ Lucite (3/8 inch) in com bination with lead (1/16
inch)
For detection of P-32 use G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

P-33

PHOSPHORUS

33

Half-life:

25.4 days

Type of Decay:

Beta - (100%)

Energy of Radiation:

0.249 MeV m axim um

0.076 MeV average

Maxim um Beta range in air:

46 cm

18 in

Critical Organ:

Bone

Annual Lim it on Intake:

6.0 m Ci

Notes:
Millicurie am ounts of P-33 do not present a significant external exposure hazard because the low
energy beta particles barely penetrate the outer dead layer of skin.
For detection of P-33 use thin window G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

Rb-86

RUBIDIUM

86

Rb

Half-life:

18.66 days

Type of Decay:

Beta- (99%)

Electron Capture (<1%)

Energy of Radiation:

1.78 MeV m axim um

0.667 MeV average

1.077 MeV gam m a (8.8%)

Maxim um Beta range in air:

6.4 m

21 ft

Maxim um Beta range in water

8 mm

0.3 in

Lead Shielding HVL

9 mm

0.35 in

Lead Shielding TVL

32 m m

1.27 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

500 m R/hr

8.3 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body, Pancreas, Liver

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.5 m Ci

Notes:
Use plexiglass / Lucite shielding ( inch) in com bination with lead (>1/4 inch)
Rb-86 m ay present a significant skin and ocular exposure hazard.
Rb-86 can produce significant secondary radiations com bined with gam m a em issions which m ay
represent a whole body exposure hazard.
For detection of Rb-86 use G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

Na-22

SODIUM

22

Na

Half-life:

2.6 years

Type of Decay:

Beta + (90.6 %)

Electron Capture (9.4%)

Energy of Radiation:

0.546 MeV (B+) m axim um

0.216 MeV(B+) average

1.275 MeV gam m a

0.511 MeV an photon (180%)

Maxim um Beta range in air:

140 cm

56 in

Lead Shielding HVL

6.4 m m

0.25 in

Lead Shielding TVL

19.6 m m

0.77 in

Unshielded exposure Rate

from 1 m Ci at 1 cm

11800 m R/hr

197 m R/m in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body

Annual Lim it on Intake:

0.4 m Ci

Notes:
Use lead shielding
Na-22 m ay present a significant skin and ocular exposure hazard.
Na-22 can produce significant secondary radiations com bined with gam m a em issions which m ay
represent a whole body exposure hazard.
For detection of Na-22 use G-M survey instrum ents, NaI scintillation survey instrum ents, liquid
scintillation counters, or gam m a counters.

S-35

35

SULFUR

Half-life:

87.44 days

Type of Decay:

Beta - (100%)

Energy of Radiation:

0.167 MeV m axim um

0.048 MeV average

Maxim um Beta range in air:

24 cm

9.6 in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body

Annual Lim it on Intake:

6.0 m Ci

Notes:
Millicurie am ounts of S-35 do not present a significant external exposure hazard because the low
energy beta particles barely penetrate the outer dead layer of skin.
Handle potentially volatile com pounds in a fum e hood. (Refer to Guidelines for S-35 Methionine
Labeling
For detection of S-35 use thin window G-M survey instrum ents or liquid scintillation counters.

H-3

TRITIUM

Half-life:

12.26 years

Type of Decay:

Beta -

Energy of Radiation:

0.0186 MeV (100%) m axim um

0.005 MeV average

Maxim um range in air:

4.7 m m

0.19 in

Critical Organ:

W hole Body

Annual Lim it on Intake:

80.0 m Ci

Notes:
Millicurie am ounts of H-3 do not present an external exposure hazard because the low energy beta
particles can not penetrate the outer dead layer of skin.
Many tritiated com pounds readily pass through the skin. W ear double gloves.
Handle potentially volatile com pounds (tritiated water, acetic anhydride, sodium borohydride etc.) in a
fum e hood.
For detection of H-3 use liquid scintillation counters.