The following information was provided by
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services via email:
In the process of a registrant closing out their general license, the registrant identified that a generally licensed 3M model 703 handheld static eliminator (s/n: 7030250) containing hydrogen-3 with a current activity of 20 millicuries (manufactured in 1982 with 200 millicuries) had been lost. In 2015, the registrant had three (3) 703 devices, in which two (2) were disposed of through the manufacturer. No other records of sale, transfer, or disposal could be identified.
The registrant spent 400 man-hours searching their facility, methodically sectioning off and checking all storage locations, interviewing current and former employees, contacting vendors who had conducted leak test services on other devices, and contacting radioactive waste disposal groups who have handled waste in the past. None had any records of the missing unit. It is the registrant's belief that the unit was likely removed from the site sometime before 2018. No occupational illnesses or injuries have been reported or would likely occur from the loss of this device due to its age and characteristics.
Iowa Incident Number: IA230002
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