title: Airborne concentration of I-131 in a nuclear medicine laboratory.
abstract: This study measures the airborne radioactivity during the handling of millicurie quantities of I-131 in the liquid and capsule form. The data indicate there is significant airborne activity when bottles containing 100--145 mCi of liquid I-131 are opened, and that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission level for airborne activity of I-131 in restricted areas (9 X 10(-9) muCi/ml) is exceeded. However, the airborne activity of I-131 is below the Nuclear Regulatory Commission level for restricted areas when 100-mCi quantities of I-131 in the capsule form are used, or during handling of liquid I-131 in the 20- to 30-mCi range. Thyroid counting is a better method than film badge for monitoring the personnel.
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D005373:Film Dosimetry; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D007753:Laboratories; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D013961:Thyroid Gland
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes