The
NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) reported a lost
Ni-63 source. The licensed device is an [generally licensed, Hewlett Packard/Agilent Technologies Gas Chromatograph, [Model 5890A, Serial Number M1827, containing a 15 mCi
Ni-63 source]. [It was discovered that the chromatograph was missing after an April 2014 inventory.] According to several end users of the device, the item was disposed of prior to the annual 2014 inventory. To the best of
NOAA's knowledge, the device was disposed of through UNICOR and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBP) by a previous property custodian, who has since retired from the agency. Documentation does not exist for this transfer. Another previous property custodian, requested that this item be removed from AOML inventory on 8/4/2014, based on the verbal report from the previous property custodian. Between July 28 and August 19th, 2014, the current property custodian unsuccessfully attempted to contact UNICOR, to confirm that this device did get transferred to UNICOR.
It cannot be confirmed the device was been disposed of via UNICOR and is therefore considered lost.
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