The following report was received via e-mail:
Reported by Weld County DPHE [Department of Public Health and Environment] on behalf of Vista Ridge Academy, Erie, Colorado on Monday April 13, 2015.
The material was discovered in a glass vial marked 'radium dust' which was verified as Radium 226 using a portable MCA (IdentiFINDER 2, S/N 910383-80, background 0.01 mrem/hr). The readings on contact and at one foot from the vial were 2.8 mrem/hr and 0.1 mrem/hr respectively. Due to the elevated nature of the readings, it was determined shielding should be put in place to protect individuals from exposure. The material was placed in plastic bags to contain the material in the event the lid falls off or the glass is broken. Additionally, ceramic bricks were used to build a temporary storage area for the vial to reduce the exposure in the area. The exposure on the outside of the brick shielding was 0.3 mrem/hr on contact. The material is stored in a secured closet. The mass of the contents in the vial were determined to be 204.5 grams with an approximate volume of 84.78 cubic centimeters. (The mass was determined using a school scale and a similar empty vial. The volume was determined by approximation of the diameter and height of the material in the vial.)
Surveys were performed around the work bench area, storage shelf and a removable contamination wipe was done on the vial. It was determined during the site visit no contamination was present in the lab or storage area indicating no exposures to students or staff.
Using the information gathered and making a few assumptions about efficiency, there is an estimated 50 to 100 uCi in the vial.
Report ID number: CO15 - I15 -12
A provisional license will be issued until the material can be properly disposed.
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf