title: Monitoring of airborne contamination during the handling of technetium-99m and radioiodine.
abstract: Measurements have been made using an air sampler to measure airborne radioactivity produced during the routine handling of large activities of technetium-99m, iodine-125 and iodine-131. The results indicate that 99Tcm can be safely handled in environments without direct exhaust of the ventilated air but that 125I and 131I should always be handled in a ventilated environment such as a fume cupboard or a down-draught work-station of the total-exhaust type. Monitoring of thyroid uptake proves to be the most reliable means of monitoring airborne contamination by these radionuclides, but burdens and radiation doses for typical procedures are well within the maximum permissible limits of the Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons from Ionizing Radiation arising from Medical and Dental Use.
mesh_terms: D000398:Air Pollution, Radioactive; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000592:standards; D013667:Technetium; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014691:Ventilation
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013667:Technetium