Radioisotope properties and precautions

Select the radioisotope


 

      ALI = Annual Limit of Intake
      EQ = Exemption Quantity

      For more information on other radioisotopes go to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) website.

      Ca-45 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Low to medium
      Half life 163 days
      Emission Moderate Energy Beta (0.257 MeV)
      Range in air 52 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Bone
      Precautions Gloves, Lab coat, Aerosol control, Contamination control
      Shielding 3 mm, plexiglas (lucite shield)
      Monitor beta-probe, wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 30 (ingestion) and 9 (inhalation)
      EQ 1 MBq

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      C-14 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Low to medium
      Half life 5730 years
      Emission Moderate Energy Beta (0.156 MeV)
      Range in air 24 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Fatty tissue
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, aerosol control, contamination control
      Shielding 3 mm, plexiglas (lucite shield)
      Monitor beta-counter, & wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 34 (ingestion) and 3000 (inhalation)
      EQ 100 MBq

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      Cr-51 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 28 days
      Emission Gamma (0.320 MeV), X-ray (E 0.752 MeV)
      Range in air Calculate
      Critical organs/tissue Large intestine
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, lead shield, aerosol control, contamination control, dosimeter
      Shielding 7 mm, lead
      Monitor gamma & X-ray probe, wipes counted by gamma counter
      ALI 530 (ingestion) and 600 (inhalation)
      EQ 1 MBq

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      Co-57 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 271 days
      Emission Gamma (0.014 - 0.692 MeV), X-ray (0.006 MeV)
      Range in air Calculate
      Critical organs/tissue Large intestine
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, lead shield, aerosol control, contamination control, dosimeter
      Shielding 3.2 mm, lead
      Monitor gamma & X-ray probe, wipes counted by gamma counter
      ALI 95 (ingestion) and 30 (inhalation)
      EQ 100 kBq

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      H-3 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Low
      Half life 12 years
      Emission Low Energy Beta (0.019 MeV)
      Range in air 6 mm
      Critical organs/tissue Body fluids
      Precautions Gloves, Lab coat, Aerosol control, Contamination control
      Shielding None
      Monitor Wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 1000 (ingestion and inhalation)
      EQ 1000 MBq

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      I-125 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Moderate
      Half life 60 days
      Emission Gamma (0.035 Mev), X-ray (0.027 - 0.032 MeV)
      Range in air Calculate
      Critical organs/tissue Thyroid gland
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, lead Shield, aerosol control, contamination control, dosimeters. NB: If 50 MBq (9.35mCi) or more are used then thyroid monitoring must be done within 5 days of manipulation. Contact RSO at local 1538.
      Shielding 0.25 mm, lead
      Monitor gamma & X-ray probe, wipes counted by gamma counter
      ALI 1 (ingestion and inhalation)
      EQ 1 MBq

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      I-131 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 8.04 days
      Emission Beta (0.247-0.606 Mev), X-ray (0.030 MeV) & Gamma (0.030-0.723 MeV)
      Range in air 165 cm (for beta component)
      Critical organs/tissue Thyroid gland
      Precautions Gloves, Lab coat, Lead Shield, Aerosol control, Contamination control, Dosimeter
      Shielding 7 mm, lead
      Monitor beta, gamma & X-ray -probe, wipes counted by liquid scintillation or gamma counter
      ALI 1 (ingestion and inhalation)
      EQ 10 kBq

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      P-32 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 14 days
      Emission High Energy Beta (1.71 MeV)
      Range in air 720 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Bone
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, plexiglass shield; Aerosol control; Contamination control; Dosimeters (whole body and/or extremity)
      NB: If 50 MBq (1.35 mCi) or more are used, then a ring dosimeter must be worn with the whole-body dosimeter.
      Shielding 2.5 cm, plexiglas (lucite shield)
      Monitor beta-counter, wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 8 (ingestion) and 7 (inhalation)
      EQ 10 kBq

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      P-33 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 25.4 days
      Emission Moderate Energy Beta (0.249 MeV)
      Range in air 46 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Bone
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, aerosol control, contamination control
      Shielding 3 mm, plexiglas (lucite shield)
      Monitor beta-counter, wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 80 (ingestion) and 20 (inhalation)
      EQ 1 MBq

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      Na-22 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 2.6 years
      Emission Positron (0.546 MeV)
      Range in air 142 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Whole body
      Precautions Gloves, Lab coat, Lead Shield, Aerosol control, Contamination control, Dosimeter
      Shielding 7 mm, lead
      Monitor beta-probe, wipes counted by liquid scintillation or gamma counter
      ALI 6 (ingestion) and 10 (inhalation)
      EQ 10 kBq

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      S-35 - Properties and Precautions
      Radiotoxicity Medium to low
      Half life 87 days
      Emission Moderate Energy Beta (0.167 MeV)
      Range in air 30 cm
      Critical organs/tissue Testis
      Precautions Gloves, lab coat, aerosol control, contamination control
      Shielding 3 mm, plexiglas (lucite shield)
      Monitor beta-counter, wipes counted by liquid scintillation counter
      ALI 26 (ingestion) and 200 (inhalation)
      EQ 100 MBq

       

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