ML24303A127
| ML24303A127 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/29/2024 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24303A127 (1) | |
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Negative Ion Products Containing Radioactive Material
For well over a decade, products have been globally advertised for sale on the internet that emit negative ions, scalar energy, quantum energy or quantum science. These include wrist bands and pendants, kinesiology tape and feminine products, bedroom pillows and mattresses, and yoga pads. The advertised benefits of these alternative medical products include:
- Reduced inflammation
- Enhanced blood circulation
- Support for immune and endocrine systems
- Improved cellular function
- Protection of DNA from damage
- Anti-aging
- Strengthened biofield
- Protection from electromagnetic waves
- Increased focus and concentration
- Improved balance and strength
- Enhanced flexibility and motion
- Improved mental focus and alertness
Vendors claim the negative ions or scalar energy comes from additives such as monazite sand, volcanic rock, zeolite, germanium, titanium or tourmaline crystals.
Many of these products contain radioactive material that can give the consumer a radiation dose.
While these do not pose a major health hazard and may be disposed of as common trash, consumers should consider limiting their use.
Product analysis:
Several of these products have been analyzed by various state and federal government agencies and academic institutions, including the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Netherlands), the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, and the Universiti Teknologi in Malaysia.
Each of these organizations found these products contained measurable quantities --in several cases significant quantities --of uranium (U -238), thorium (Th-232), or radium (Ra-226). Wrist bands and pendants analyzed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the NRC (ML14343A022) contained enough uranium and thorium (greater than 0.05 percent by weight) to require a radioactive material license. Ten items analyzed by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment contained enough thorium-232 and radium-224 to require a permit or registration in the Netherlands because they exceeded Dutch safety limits. Spectrometry analysis conducted by the University of Science and Technology of China detected licensable quantities of uranium and thorium, likely from rare earth mine tailings extracted from northern China.
Estimated Hazard:
These products may emit several types of ionizing radiation (alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays). The alpha particles are mostly absorbed within the pendant/wrist band and do not expose the wearer. The beta particles will only penetrate a short distance into body tissue and will be mostly absorbed in the skin. Gamma particles will penetrate a large area of tissue. A greater risk is inhaling these radioactive particles, resulting in an internal exposure. This is especially possible with pillowca ses, mattresses, and yoga pads.
NRC, ARPANSA and several state agencies have assessed that the whole-body radiation dose to an individual wearing one of these pendants or wrist bands is likely to be low. However, wearing pendants continuously can result in an elevated skin dose due to beta radiation, so you should limit the time you are exposing yourself to radiation. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment conducted similar assessments and concluded the estimated skin exposure exceeded the Dutch and International Atomic Energy Agency limit for local skin equivalent dose (50 mSv per year).
Analyses conducted in Malaysia showed similar results for several bracelets and necklaces.
Are all products radioactive?
While some of these products contain radioactive material like uranium and thorium, others do not. Information on the product package may indicate if the product emits negative ions and possibly the source of these ions. If the manufacturer has added minerals to the wristband, it may contain radioactive material. However, some products do not contain any radioactive material at all. If the item has a magnet or hologram incorporated into the product, it probably is not radioactive.
What should you do?
These products have not been licensed by the NRC or any state. We cannot say whether these products work as advertised. If you have them or know someone who does, our best advice is to throw them away. Anyone with health concerns should talk to their doctor. If you still wish to wear or use one these products it is advised to limit your exposure by:
- Limiting the time you are in contact with or wearing the product
- Increasing your distance from the product
- Wearing it over clothing, in the case of pendants.
Anyone wishing to dispose of a negative ion product may simply put it in their trash. This is OK because, although the amount of radioactive material in the product requires a license for the manufacture and sale of these items, it does not require any special handling or disposal.
References:
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Scalar energy products and health, https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/pendants Accessed September 10, 2024.
Brandhoff, P.N. Radioactivity measurements in negative ion consumer products, RIVM letter report 2021-0239, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Netherlands.
Hassan, H.J., Hashim, S, et al, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Bracelets and Necklaces: Radiological Risk Evaluation, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (21), Nov 2021.
IEMA. IEMA Informs Consumers about Pendants Containing Trace Amounts of Radioactive Material. May 15, 2018. Illinois.gov/news/press-release.16730.html. Accessed September 10, 2024.
Kim, B, Jeong, K, and Shi, H. Evaluation of dose in sleep by mattress containing monazite, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 187(3), 286-299, Dec 2019.
Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Negative Ion Technology: Consumer Products and Radiation. Updated October 16, 2023. Deq.utah.gov/public-interest/ negative-ion-technology-consumer-products-and-radiation. Accessed September 10, 2024.
Washington State Department of Health, Radioactive Consumer Products, https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/radiation/radiation-topics/radioactive-consumer-products. Accessed September 10, 2024.
Xu, P., Yu, G., Xu, F. et al. Analysis of radioactivity of negative-ion powder and determination of 232-Th. Journal of Radioanalytical Nuclear Chemistry, 332, 1453-1457 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08704-4
October 2024