Re: Mesothelioma

In article
<2XJHl.150460$4m1.103053@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"vaughn" <vaughnsimonHATESSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Steve Hix" <sehix@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:sehix-80B9B0.10542622042009@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Most of Radium's decay output is in alpha particles, with daughter
isotopes putting out some beta and gamma radiation along with more alpha.

The instrument's glass cover blocks almost all of it.

In fact, a piece of paper will stop alpha just fine so no problem right?

A bit more is needed to stop the beta and gamma, but OK so far.

Wrong! Alpha is a large internal hazard to humans.

Has to be ingested first. One would be advised to not chew on the
instruments.

In can enter us in our
foods and liquids, but the most common is probably in the form of a
radioactive gas.

Yes, radon can be a problem. In high enough concentrations. Which you
don't get much if ventilation is passably good. And your usual cockpit
is pretty well ventilated.

Radium's decay produces radon gas, which may well escape
the instrument's case. Radon is not typically a problem except in
unventalated areas, but radium watches apparently produce enough of the
stuff that they have long been prohibited on submarines.

Recycling your air for extended periods would be as bad as being tightly
sealed.

Also note that just because an old instrument does not glow, that does
not mean that it is free from radium.

Not that not glowing makes it any more of a real risk, either.

The zinc sulfide phosphors that
actually do the glowing break down after only a few years, but the radium
itself has a half-life of 1600 years.

Which makes it pretty active, compared to some other useful isotopes,
including U and Pu. (And much less than some others.)

Note that all that glows is not radium. Tritium glow lights are one
example.

As was mentioned in a previous post in the thread. Not that it's any
secret that tritium is also used for self-lit displays. Timex comes to
mind.
.

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