Quiz

What concentration of radioactive liquid solution C-14 can be disposed in sewer?

50 nCi/mL

For a beta emitter, ratio of average energy to maximum energy is about?

One third

You want to procure radioactive material. Who will authorize its purchase?

Both the AU and RSO

Failure to comply with regulations result in loss of your privilege to work with radioactive
materials.

True

What is the FIU dose equivalent limit for the member of the public?

100 mrem

A written notice of radiation exposure received must be given to a worker?

True

Radiation survey instrument must be calibrated annually

True

The survey report must have:

Surveyor name, signature date

Details of instruments used
Survey data
Action levels
Background level

Which cells are more radiation sensitive?

Rapidly dividing

Risk of cancer depends on:

Dose equivalent
What is a preferred shielding material for beta particles?

Plastic

ALARA stands for: As Low As Reasonably Achievable

Assessment of internal exposure is not important when you work with Pu-239, an alpha
emitter

False, it is important

What is the FIU dose equivalent limit for occupation workers?

1000 mrem

Units of radioactivity are:

Dpm

Who established radiation policies and procedures and proposals and AU applications?

Radiation Control Committee

Who appoints RSO?

Vice President

Radioactive material stored in a vessel shows 1mR/h at 5cm. Which posting applies?

Radioactive Material

Notice of Violations issued by the State must be posted.

True

Gloves not only prevent contamination of hands but also reduce beta does to fingers.

True

C-14 is an example of high energy beta emitter.

False
Your privilege to work with radioactive materials may be withdrawn if you don’t return
your dosimetry badge in time.

True

What is the procedure for disposal of radioactive waste?

Fill up waste details for and submit to RSO

The survey instrument must be appropriate for the:

Energy of radiation and

Type of Radiation

In an event of a minor spill the most important action to take is:

Contain the spill

Lead is good shielding material for which radiation?

Gamma

Beta radiation is an example of:

Ionizing radiation

For hand decontamination start with:

Mild detergent

Exposure to finger from a beta source can be much higher than from a gamma source of
the same activity

True

Who conducts surveys and maintains records and inventory of radioactive material?

Authorized Users

I-125 has about 60 days half-life, how many days should I store I-125 waste packet before I
can consider its disposal?

600 days
Radiation damage is more in which case?

High does in a short time

At 18-inches, sash height fume hood flow velocity range in LFM should be:

80 to 120

Does rate in air from a point gamma source at 1 foot is 8 mR/h. At what distance from the
source should you work to reduce the dose to rate 2mR/h?

2 feet

Risk of cancer depends on:

Dose equivalent

Dose versus Dose Rate

• Dose = energy absorbed per unit mass of the material
• 1 Roentgen (R) = 87.7 ergs/g of air
• Radiation absorbed: dose (rad) = 100 ergs/g of tissue
• 1 R =~ 1 rad =~1 rem
• Dose equivalent (Roentgen equivalent man or rem)= rad * Quality Factor (QF)
• QF=1 for beta, X-ray and gamma radiation; QF=20 for alpha particles
• Dose rate is the dose per unit time. E.g., 2 mrem per hour (or 2 mrem/hr)
• Dose (rem) = dose rate (mrem/hr)* exposure time (h)
• For example: if we work for 5 hours at a place where dose rate is 2 mrem/hr, we will
receive (2 mrem/hr)*(5 hours) = 10 mrem

• 1 rem=1000 mrem

• Average person in U.S. receives ~620 mrem/yr from:

• Natural background sources: 310 mrem
• Terrestrial: Radon and decay products (200 mrem); Sources in earth’s
crust (terrestrial): 28 mrem; 12 mrem other
• Cosmic radiation: 30 mrem
• Internal body dose: 40 mrem, K-40, C-14
• NOTE: Radon and decay products is largest source of background
radiation!
• Alpha radiation and low energy beta radiation (from H-3, C-14) do not penetrate window
of TLD and are not detected by TLD.
• High energy beta (P-32), X-rays, and gamma ray exposure are measured by TLDs

• Engineering controls
 • Fume hood ventilation, built-in shielding
• Administrative controls
• Access control, keeping materials locked, written procedures, supervision,
inspection
• Radioactivity
• Keeping minimum
• Contamination
• Keeping minimum
• Using protective devices, periodic checks

Decontamination of Surfaces and People

• Only done by RSO, AU or someone trained and authorized to do this by the RSO or AU

• Distance
• Using remote tools, tongs
• Dose and effective dose equivalent are proportional to inverse distance squared
(10 times farther away yields 100 times less dose)

Type Organ State FIU

Occupationa Whole body 5 rem 1 rem

l Worker
Occupationa Eye lens 15 rem 3 rem
l Worker
Occupationa Skin, any organ/tissue other than eye lens 50 rem 12 rem
l Worker
Declared Embryo/fetus 0.5 rem 0.5 rem
pregnant
worker
(entire
pregnancy)
Declared Embryo/fetus 0.05 rem 0.05 rem
pregnant
worker (any
month)
Members of Whole body 0.1 rem 0.1 rem
the public
Acute exposure: A one time, limited, or short-term exposure such as a large dose in a short
period of time
• Symptoms: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, conjunctivitis, and
skin erythema
• Exposures in FIU are extremely low. These effects occur only at exposures more
than 2000 times the non-radiation worker exposure limit

• Chronic exposure: Continuous, repeated, or long-term exposure at low dose rates

• Low exposure rates (annual for non-radiation workers: 100 mrem)
• Low probability of cancer
• If 100,000 people of all ages are exposed to 100 mrem, 8 people would be
expected to develop cancer due to radiation
• Cancer deaths that result from other causes: 20,000
• Cancer from radiation is directly related to accumulated effective dose equivalent
• Dose in rads Effect
• 0 – 25 no detectable clinical effects
• 25-100 slight reduction in lymphocytes and neutrophilis, serious effect
improbable
• 100 – 200 Nausea and fatigue, possible vomiting over 125 rads, delayed effects,
may shorten life ~1%
• 200-300 Epilation; nausea and vomiting on first day. Latent period 2
weeks, loss of appetite, malaise, sore throat, pallor, petechia, diarrhea, recovery 3
months
• 300-600 Radiation dematitis and erythema; nausea and vomiting first few
hours, latent period of no symptoms, Epiliation, malaise, fever, hemmorrhage, petechia,
purpura, inflammation of throat, rapid emaciation and death (50% people receiving
450 rads)
• 100 – 300 Nausea, fatigue, vomiting, sore throat, pallor, petechial, diarrhea
• 300 - 600 Radiation Dermatitis, erythema, fever, hemorrhage, purpura, inflammation
of the throat, rapid emaciation, and death

• Contamination is measured as dpm/100 cm 2 therefore a swipe is often 1 inch wide by 16

inches in length (or ~ 100 cm2)
• Swipe measures removable contamination only, not fixed contamination