[Nhcoll-l] [External] Fossil collections and radioactivity

Fri Sep 28 11:27:17 EDT 2018

Hello Everyone,

                While I've not dealt with radioactivity and fossils, though maybe I should get our collection checked, I do have experience with radioactive items. In particular radium aircraft dials. I don't know the difference in radioactivity levels between an 'average' fossil of concern and a dial but I'm guessing the levels would be similar and the health concerns would be similar as well (i.e. inhalation of particles, exposure). Unless there is a large collection of dials the over all exposure concern of properly housed items is low, short of having them in the same office as yourself. Typically these dials are double or triple sealed in PP or PE bags and then stored in PP or PE containers with approximately 4-10 in a container depending on level of concern. This rather effectively blocks the majority of the radioactivity being emitted by these items and as long as you are not sitting beside them everyday the occasional exposure is similar to background levels. This also contains any dust from the items so that it isn't inhaled by anyone. Any gas buildup is also contained in this setup. Depending on the material the inhalation may be of more concern than the exposure as some radioactive materials very readily get absorbed into your system when inhaled or ingested. Radium, as with the aircraft dials, mimics calcium so your body happily stores it in your bones and that does not end well...

                If anyone has any sources for good/cheap Geiger metres I'd be interested in hearing about them.

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
Phone: 306-778-4815
Fax: 306-778-4818

Archives: http://sain.scaa.sk.ca/collections/swift-current-museum
Library: https://www.librarything.com/profile/SwiftCurrentMuseum
Website: http://www.swiftcurrent.ca

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Tacker, Christopher
Sent: September 28, 2018 9:02 AM
To: Guillaume BILLET <guillaume.billet at mnhn.fr>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [External] Fossil collections and radioactivity

Hi, everyone,

A resource for this is the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals:

http://www.smmp.net/rept-rad.htm
HANDLING RADIOACTIVE SPECIMENS IN MINERAL COLLECTIONS - SMMP<http://www.smmp.net/rept-rad.htm>
www.smmp.net<http://www.smmp.net>
HANDLING RADIOACTIVE SPECIMENS IN MINERAL COLLECTIONS. In 1996, in response to concerns expressed by SMMP members and others regarding the proper handling of natural specimens of radioactive minerals, members produced the reports below on behalf of their institutions.

There are policies from several different museums.

One of your local universities, or government, will have classes in radiation safety for anyone using research isotopes or X-ray diffraction, etc. I strongly recommend that you take one, simply as a matter of self-defense.

The problem is twofold, first, local and national safety regulations on radiation exposure. Second, possible radon emitted. In both cases you need measurements to assist you in making plans. A good radiation meter is essential. You'll need to measure radon inside the storage cases as well as ambient radon.

On top of these problems is the fact that, at our state level,  naturally occurring forms/sources of radiation are not regulated. Radiation exposure may be, and radon almost certainly is. Dust you can probably treat as you usually handle dust, or treat it as an inhaled silica problem.

I kind of doubt that there's enough radiation to matter in the specimens. Phosphatic layers from the Lee Creek mine in Aurora, North Carolina, are mapped in the subsurface using gamma logs. However, I've stood on a pile of the ore with a Geiger counter and measured nothing.

Finally, I can recommend from experience that you be discreet in working with the radiation issue. More than once, I've had people panic over marginally radioactive materials.

Best regards,

Chris Tacker

Chris Tacker, Ph.D., P.G., Research Curator, Geology
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences       http://www.naturalsciences.org/
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC  27601-1029

Please note:
E-mail and phone have both changed:
christopher.tacker at naturalsciences.org<mailto:christopher.tacker at naturalsciences.org>     919-707-9941.

E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North
Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> on behalf of Guillaume BILLET <guillaume.billet at mnhn.fr<mailto:guillaume.billet at mnhn.fr>>
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2018 5:11:19 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [External] [Nhcoll-l] Fossil collections and radioactivity

CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to Report Spam.<mailto:report.spam at nc.gov>

Hello everyone,

in the fossil mammal collection of the MNHN Paris, we are currently
dealing with issues of high level radioactivity for a number of
specimens (>usual background radiation) and we are trying to set up an
action plan. For this reason, we would love to hear about the policy in
other Museums concerning radioactive fossils.
Do you systematically measure specimens for radioactivity in your fossil
collection?  Does your institution have a strict policy about
radioactive fossils? Most particularly, how do you cope with the risk of
inhaling radioactive dust due to such specimens?

Many thanks and best wishes
Guillaume

--
Guillaume BILLET
Assistant Professor & Curator (MNHN)
Maître de conférences & Chargé de conservation (MNHN)

Centre de Recherches sur la Paléobiodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements (CR2P)
UMR CNRS 7207
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
8, rue Buffon
75231 Paris Cedex 05, FRANCE
Phone + 33 (0)1 40 79 38 14

Email address: guillaume.billet at mnhn.fr<mailto:guillaume.billet at mnhn.fr>

Collection website / Site des collections: http://colhelper.mnhn.fr
AND:  http://www.mnhn.fr/en/collections/collection-groups/palaeontology/mammal-fossils

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