Health and safety impacts from discrete sources of naturally-occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive materials (NARM)

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6485702

Nussbaumer, D; Wiblin, C; Welch, L ^[1]

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1. Advanced Systems Technology, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)

This report characterizes discrete sources of naturally-occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material (NARM) and estimates risks posed by the possession, use and disposal of them. A distinction between discrete and diffuse NARM sources is made with discrete sources being high activity, low volume and diffuse sources being low activity, high volume. Two nanocuries per gram is used as a separation guide between high and low activity, although use of this value does not impact the report's conclusions. Most NARM is under regulatory control of States that either license or register users but reporting requirements are not uniform. Use in consumer products has declined with virtually no production today; however, lack of information available concerning radiation exposures resulting form possession of ageing radium sources precludes a quantitative risk assessment in this report. The report identifies the type of information needed to permit such an assessment. Regarding accelerator-produced radioactive material (ARM), use of this material in nuclear medicine programs has recently increased. Available radiation exposure data regarding ARM handling and use indicates that the risk to workers and the public is low at this time.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Regulatory Applications; Advanced Systems Technology, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USNRC; Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6485702
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-5962; ON: TI93008013
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
SAFETY
RADIATION SOURCES
HEALTH HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
ACCELERATORS
LICENSING
MANUFACTURERS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
RADIOISOTOPES
REGULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
HAZARDS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
070500* - Isotope & Radiation Source Technology- Health & Safety- (1990-)
070700 - Isotope & Radiation Source Technology- Regulation & Licensing- (1992-)