The following information was provided by the
New York State Department of Health (
NYSDOH)
Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection (
BERP) via email:
NYSDOH BERP received a phone call from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) on August 29, 2025, at approximately 1045 EDT to report a call they received from Gentech Scientific, LLC, a NYSDOH radioactive material licensee, to report a leaking electron capture device (ECD) source. NYSDOH contacted Gentech Scientific, LLC on August 29, 2025, at approximately 1100 to follow up on this event. The representative from Gentech Scientific confirmed that a leak test was performed and analyzed by the National Leak Test Center (NYSDOH radioactive material license number C2323) the day prior (August 28, 2025) on entrance port, housing, and exit ports of an Agilent 58-90 ECD (serial number K3818) containing 15 millicuries of Ni-63 (foil source).
Only the entrance port sample returned a result considered leaking in accordance with 10 CFR 31.5(c)(5) at 6789 pCi. The housing and exit port samples did not exceed this threshold.
Following Gentech Scientific, LLC's awareness of this event, the affected device/source was carefully placed into isolation/quarantine in laboratory storage area, posted with signage, and licensee staff were informed on this event and instructed to keep away from this device. This leaking source did not result in the contamination of equipment, personnel, or surfaces.
Gentech Scientific, LLC has notified Agilent of this leaking source and will be seeking options to return this device to Agilent or otherwise dispose of the source via transfer to a licensed waste broker. Leak test copies have been provided to NYSDOH.
NYSDOH BERP is actively monitoring this event under Incident No. 1542. Additional information will be provided to
NMED once available.