NUtrino news and training for radiation workers at NU

Number 26, February, 2000

"Biodegradable" Liquid Scintillation Fluids May Increase Safety, Reduce Costs

Our radwaste vendor recently passed along a new pricing structure for disposal of liquid scintillation fluids. Effective December 1, 1999, the cost for disposal of LSC vials containing radionuclides with halflives greater than 109 days (primarily H-3 and C-14) in "hazardous" (flammable) media rose to $2,770 per 55-gallon drum. This is equivalent to about 5 cases of standard, 20 ml vials. In contrast, if the vials contain "biodegradable," non-flammable liquid scintillation media the disposal cost would be $370. Hazardous waste is an indirect cost that we attempt to minimize; you can help by using only "biodegradable" scintillation media. Most investigators on the Evanston campus already have made the switch.

Another good reason to use "biodegradable" scintillation media is that it may be safer for the user and less harmful to the environment than solvent-based media. There is one caveat, however. The commonly-used pseudocumene-based media may not be entirely benign in the environment, however they are considered to be "biodegradable" for the purposes of scintillation waste disposal.

You can find out more about various types of scintillation media on the market by viewing the following web sites:

Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, 1-800-323-9750, www.apbiotech.com
ICN Biomedicals, 1-800-854-0530, www.icnpharm.com
National Diagnostics, 1-800-526-3867, www.nationaldiagnostics.com 
NEN, 1-800-551-2121, www.nenlifesci.com 
Packard Instruments, 1-800-323-1891, www.packardinst.com 
RPI, 1-800-323-9814, www.rpicorp.com 

Whichever type of media you use--"biodegradable" or "hazardous"--you need to identify it on your waste card in the space for listing chemical consituents, so that we know how to segregate it.

One More Time:
 

  •  Please remember that any person using radioactive material must provide a registration form signed by the authorized investigator in whose lab the work is performed. This becomes an issue when an individual changes labs or works in more than one lab.
  • If you transfer radioactive material between labs you must notify ORS in advance so we can create a new inventory form for the receiving laboratory. See the October, 1999, NUtrino for more detail.
  • Users must enter their first and last names on inventory forms. 
  • Return your dosimeters on time--we need to be a little more aggressive in following-up on this (most of you already do a great job returning them on time!).

    • Use this NUtrino as a training tool. Circulate it among the radiation workers in your group and have them sign and date the training form on the back. File it with your authorization and other radiation safety documents for review during regulatory inspections. Discuss it during laboratory meetings. We have back issues, or you can print them off the web.
    tory meetings. We have back issues, or you can print them off the web.