The following information was received from the state of
New York via email:
A portable XRF [x-ray fluorescence] device containing a 6 millicurie Cobalt-57 source was unintentionally left by an authorized user on a public bus in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. Specific device information is below. The licensee contacted the MTA Police as well as Viken, the device manufacturer. The licensee was able to search the buses at the end of the day on January 26, 2022, but the device was not located at that time.
According to the licensee an individual found the case with the device and contacted Viken. The representative at Viken was then able to get the individual in contact with the licensee. As of 1710 EST on January 27, 2022, the device is back in the licensee's possession and is in working order.
Device Manufacturer: Viken
Device Model: Pb200i
Device S/N: 2219
Source Manufacturer: Isotope Products Laboratory
Source Model: Model 3901 Series
Source S/N: R4-672
Isotope: Cobalt-57
Activity: 6 millicuries
NY incident no. NYDOH- 22-01
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
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