[NHCOLL-L:43] specimen rediation treatment -Reply

[Sally Shelton]

It is difficult to answer your questions meaningfully until you have
the radiation assessment results in. Everything depends on the level
of radiation above background level, the presence or absence of radon,
that size of the affected specimens and the storage options you have
or can create on-site.

In general, while you must find out what the risk is, you do not have
to panic unduly. Some fossils have turned out to be very radioactive,
but others are barely above background level. You should not waste
time in getting the answers, but you have time to do so. Be sure that
whoever is doing the test gives you a written report of all forms and
levels of radiation assessed.

You may want to read a couple of recent publications on the subject:

Collection Forum
Fall 1994, Volume 10, Number 2

 IONISING RADIATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE MINERAL COLLECTION
 OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES 
 MICHAEL P. LAMBERT
 Department of Geology, National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park,
Cardiff
 CFI 3NP, Wales, U.K. 

In addition, Dan Chure of Dinosaur National Monument prepared a
Conserv O Gram technical leaflet on this subject for the National Park
Service and may be able to give you the best advice.

Good luck, and let us know what you find out.

Cheers,
Sally Shelton
Collections Officer
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution

>>> "j. guan" <jguan at BLUE.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU> Monday, 22 March 1999 >>>
I am a curator from the department of paleontology in Beijing Natural
history Museum. I am now in the University of Iowa for study. 
I got some mammal fossils from a miocene locality in northwestern
China.
Mostly are shovel tusked elephant and some primitive elasmotherium
(rhino)
as well we some Kubanochoerus (horned pig). I was told that the
fossils 
have a rediation problem. I was told that a geologist team tested the
fossils with gamma texting equipment. The specimens are in the story
room
in my museum now. I wounder they have cost health problem. 
I would appreciate if getting some information about this matter and
how
to handdle it since I have no information from the geological team
yet.
Best regards
Jian Guan
Chair of Dept. paleontology 2nd.
Beijing Natural History Museum
Beijing 100050, China
E. mail (Iowa): jguan at public.bta.net.cn
Tel. (319) 337-0559