Re: Uranium Prints and hazards -Reply

Elton N. Kaufmann - Cycloid Fathom Group (cycloid@cycloid-fathom.com)
Fri, 21 Nov 1997 00:23:37 -0600

Actually, tritium has a 12 yr halflife and the amount needed to light a
phosphor like in those emergency exit lights on airliners is in the range
of Curies or more. This is hot stuff even though the beta emissions are
relatively low energy. Depleted uranium (D-38) is really quite different
and safer whether in the form of a salt or metal or whatever (radioactively
speaking - some compounds are toxic for chemical reasons). Whereas Uranium
may replace the calcium in your bones, the tritium can replace the hydrogen
in your bodily fluids and is a lot easier to inhale if it gets loose.
There are bullets made of depleted uranium (tank killers) that I don't
think are treated as very radioactive by the troops who play with them.
Heavy metal common sense precautions is all that I think are needed and I
think the Federal authorities don't get hysterical over this stuff.

At 05:48 PM 11/20/97 -0700, Bob MAXIE wrote:
>I used to design products that used a Tritium
>light source. Basically, Tritium gas gave off
>emissions that caused a fluorescent coating
>on the inside of the tube wall to glow.
>
>I had document after document after
>document to deal with Federally and the same
>for our States Department of Radiological
>Health. Reading the regulations provided by
>both departments indicated that if it is a
>radioactive product, it is subject to
>scrutinization. I finally gave up the project
>because of the need to send samples of the
>product, samples of the tubes (Commercially
>manufactured and already approved),
>advertising samples, and I had to pay for
>testing after a sample was made and a fee to
>get them to look at the idea and proposed use.
>If the design of the fixture changed, so did the
>need for revisions of the licences I would
>require as well as another round of approval
>by the government - local and Federal.
>
>Secondly, my Sister in Law is Vice President
>of a Utah based Non Destructive Testing
>Company, and she has also told me that
>regardless of the material, tons of regulations
>govern its usage and disposal.
>
>Perhaps you are right Richard - I don't want to
>get flamed or cause anybody any worry.
>However, it is something that anyone using
>this type of material on a commercial basis
>needs to look at.
>
>Granted, I never looked at rules governing
>Radioactive salts, just at the Tritium handling
>regulations. And Tritium is not very
>radioactive. However, the rules at the time
>clearly stated that Any radioactive material,
>regardless of strength requires a licence.
>
>RM
>
>
>
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