USI Radiation License

Applicant:

University of Southern Indiana
8600 University Boulevard
Evansville, IN 47712

5. Radioactive Material

Comments:

Items A through F will be contained in bound form within the confines of proteins, nucleic acids, nucleotides and amino acids. 

All sealed sources will be obtained from Amersham, Isotope Products Laboratory, or other licensed vendor.

6.  Purpose for which Licensed Material will be used

Items A through F:  Laboratory research and teaching and training of biology students
Items G through J:  Laboratory research and radiation detector studies. Teaching and training of physics students.

7.  Individuals responsible for radiation safety program

 RSO:  Dr Kent W. Scheller
Assistant Professor of Physics
Ph.D. 1994, University of Notre Dame
Nuclear Astrophysics
Currently RSO for Shamrock Technologies, Henderson, KY/Newark, NJ

Expertise:  α, β, γ detection in accelerator based nuclear reactions

 7.  Individuals responsible for radiation safety program

AU: 

Resumes of all of the above individuals are on file.

8.  Training for individuals

The RSO will be responsible for the approval of all new authorized users after a careful evaluation of their past raining and experience.  If it is determined that additional training of the potential user is deemed necessary, such training will be completed before use of radioactive material will commence. 

Training for those individuals responsible for the use of licensed material will take place once every two years, or individually with the addition of new AU’s.  Training will be conducted in a classroom format and will include, but is not limited to:

• α, β, γ Radiation and Sources
• Naturally Occurring Radiation
• Dose Standards 
• Permissible Limits
• Biological Effects
• Pre-Natal Dose Limit
• Genetic Effects
• Penetrating Power of Radiation 
• Radiation Measurement
• Waste Disposal
• Radiation Half-life 
• Personal Protection
• Transportation of Sources
• Emergency Procedures
• Receiving Procedures

All training will be concluded with a short quiz to assess the retention of information necessary to be an authorized user.  Any deficiencies will be addressed with additional training until adequate proficiency is demonstrated by potential user.  All training will be conducted by the RSO.

Any students that will be working in the presence of radioactive sources must first review a radiation safety video outlining safe handling procedures of radioactive materials. 

9.  Facilities and Equipment

All radioactive sources will be stored in designated areas in the Science Center on the campus of the University of Southern Indiana. Isotopes listed above in Section 5 will be stored and used according to the following:

Items A through F: 

Isotopes will be utilized by the Biology Department on the first floor of the  Science Center (Diagram 1).  Isotopes will be safely stored in rooms mentioned below.  All isotopes (A through F) may be transported in unbreakable containers by an AU for use in student laboratories pictured in Diagram 1.  Any such teaching laboratory will be posted as a potential area of radioactivity.  No laboratory will be left by an AU, after use of a transported isotope, with an ambient radiation activity level above those specified by Appendix Q, NUREG-1556, Vol. 7. 

 SC 92:  Diagram 2 illustrates a restricted research lab in which aqueous forms of isotopes 3H, 14C, 32P, 35S, and 125I may be stored and used for research and teaching purposes.  SC92 consists of a filtered exhaust hood and a refrigerator in which materials requiring such will be stored.  The sink in SC92 will be designated for the appropriate disposal of aqueous waste.  Bulk aqueous 3H waste will be stored in RSO-approved polypropylene/polystyrene containers.  A solid waste disposal can will be maintained in SC92 for disposal by a professional service authorized by NRC license to handle radioactive waste.  SC 92 is 20’ x 28’ in area.

SC 59A/91/91A/91C:  Diagram 3 illustrates a research area in which aqueous forms of isotopes 3H, 32P, 33P, 35S, and 125I may be stored and used for research and teaching purposes.  SC 59A has a filtered, lockable exhaust hood for materials requiring room temperature storage.  A dedicated, lockable refrigerator located in 91C will be designated for storage of isotope materials requiring such.  The lockable freezer located in 91A will be designated for isotopes requiring freezer storage.  The sink in 59A will be designated for the appropriate disposal of aqueous waste.  Bulk aqueous 3H waste will be stored in RSO-approved polypropylene/polystyrene containers.  A solid waste disposal can will be maintained in both rooms for disposal by a professional service authorized by NRC license to handle radioactive waste.  Room 59A is 25’6” x 10’ in area.  Room 91 is 24’ x 10’ in area.  Room 91A is 24’ x 10’ in area.  Room 91C is 10’ x 10’ in area.

SC 195:  On the second floor (Diagram 4) is SC 195 which is a teaching and research laboratory in which the aqueous forms of isotopes 3H, 32P, 33P, and 35S may be stored for research and teaching purposes.  SC 195 (Diagram 5) has a filtered, lockable exhaust hood for materials requiring room temperature storage.  A lockable refrigerator and lockable freezer are available for storage of materials requiring lower temperatures.  An additional, lockable freezer capable of –800F will be utilized for long term storage of refrigerated materials.  The sink in the hood will be designated for the appropriate disposal of aqueous waste.  Bulk aqueous 3H waste will be stored in RSO-approved polypropylene/polystyrene containers.  A solid waste disposal can will be maintained in both rooms for disposal by a professional service authorized by NRC license to handle radioactive waste.  SC 195 is 38’ x 28’ in area. 

Items G through I:

These items will be utilized by the Physics department for instruction and research in the areas of radiation detector development.  Sources will be stored in the below-mentioned area and occasionally transported by an AU to the adjacent Physics Laboratory SC256 for instructional purposes.  Majority of use will be for detector development in which simple counting procedures will be followed. 

SC P256:  On the third floor (Diagram 6) is a restricted Physics Laboratory Prep Room.  In room SC P256 (Diagram 7) will be stored the sealed sources 137Cs, 60Co, and 90Sr.  The sources will be housed in a lead brick house on the back counter of the room.  Ventilation for this room consists of a closed system involving an air conditioning unit with filters.  SC P256 is 15’ x 28’ in area.

10.  Radiation Safety Program

Radiation Monitoring Instruments

Required surveys will be conducted with a Victoreen Model 290 Geiger Monitor, whose certificate of calibration shall remain attached.  All calibrations will be conducted by the manufacturer and will be done at intervals specified by the manufacturer on the calibration certificate.  We will use instruments that meet the radiation monitoring instrument specifications published in Appendix M to final NUREG-1556, Vol. 7, ‘Program-Specific Guidance About Academic, Research and Development, and Other Licenses of Limited Scope,’ dated May 1998.  We reserve the right to upgrade our survey instruments as necessary. 

10.  Radiation Safety Program

Material Receipt and Accountability
All purchases of radioactive material will be initiated by an AU.  Any purchase request will be forwarded to the RSO, who will assure license compliance.  Upon determination of compliance, the RSO will approve/disapprove the request.

All radioactive material purchased is to be delivered to the department office of the AU who initiated the purchase.  The AU is required to forward the pertinent information from the shipment to the RSO.  Physical receipt of the material shall take place following the guidelines outlined in Appendix A.  Upon physical receipt of material, a Radioactive Shipment Receipt/Usage Report must be completed and forwarded to the RSO.

Authorized user is responsible to continually document the disposition of this material until it is completely utilized.  The Usage portion of this form shall be completed during the use of material.  Once material is consumed in full, the Usage portion shall be completed indicating as such and a signed copy shall be forwarded to RSO.

Physical inventories will be conducted in April and October, to account for all sources and received and possessed under the license.  Inventory reports (Appendix E/F) shall be completed by each AU possessing licensed material and return form to RSO.

10.  Radiation Safety Program

Occupational Dose
We have done a prospective evaluation and determined that unmonitored individuals are not likely to receive, in one year, a radiation dose in excess of 10 percent of the allowable limits in 10 CFR Part 20. 

Appendices G and H illustrate the isotopes in question and a table of calculations to demonstrate the dose rates expected from each item and the time required to reach a dose limit of 10% of the yearly allowable dose. 

Appendix G contains information for the beta-emitters.  The isotopes utilized in the Biology department, 3H, C14, 32P, 33P, and 35S, will be handled in container quantities of 250μCuries (0.250 mCuries) at a time.  Any quantities in excess of this on hand would be in storage, not contributing to the exposure of individuals present.  A handling distance of 50 cm was assumed for calculations.  The majority of time in the presence of these isotopes will be spent at distances which are much greater.  Referring to the Limit Time column of Appendix G, only one of the Biology isotopes, 32P,  has a Limit Time that could possibly be breached in a year.  Interviews of the potential users yielded the following use parameters.  At a maximum, approximately 100 radioactive samples would be prepared, taking 10 minutes each (very conservative), in a year’s time by any one user using 32P.  The 10 minute preparation time is the only duration in which the distance approaches 50 cm.  With this scenario, only 1000 minutes, or 16.7 hours, of handling exposure is accumulated by a user.  Even with the conservative estimates of time and use of this isotope, exposure time is comfortably below the 25.8 hours that would be necessary to reach the 10% level.  In fact, if 16.7 hours were spent in front all of the isotopes at full activity (250 μCuries), the absorbed dose would be under the 10% threshold for monitoring.

The beta-emitter to be used in the Physics Department, 90Sr, is a sealed source of 5 mCi, so no partial activity could be assumed.  As the calculation shows, 355 hours of exposure at a distance of 1 m would be required to reach the 10% level.  This value surpasses by an order of magnitude the time exposure expected.

Of the gamma-emitters, Appendix H, only the 60Co source has a potential Limit Time that could be breached in a year’s time.  Since the source will be used in counting experiments which are not individually attended to by the user, except for initial set-up, exposure time will be far less than the 36 hours required to accumulate 10% of the dose limit.  Handling of 125I, will take place in container quantities of 250 μCuries, well below the threshold of 1 mCurie specified in Appendix P, NUREG-1556, Vol. 7.

Given the above discussion, it is concluded that no user will be exposed at a level of 10% of the yearly allowable dose, therefore no external monitoring shall be required.

10.  Radiation Safety Program

Safe Use of Radionuclides and Emergency Procedures
Operating Procedures for the safe use of isotopes is outlined in Appendix B.  These operating procedures will be posted in all rooms utilizing radioactive materials and distributed to all users of radioactive material.

Emergency Procedures are outlined in Appendix C.

Procedures may be revised if:

• The changes are reviewed and approved by licensee management and the RSO.
• Licensee staff is trained in the revised procedures before they are implemented.
• The changes are consistent with the procedures submitted with the license application.
• The changes do not degrade the effectiveness of the program.

10.  Radiation Safety Program

Survey
We will survey our facility and maintain contamination levels in accordance with the survey frequencies and contamination levels published in Appendix Q to final NUREG-1556, Vol. 7, ‘Program-Specific Guidance About Academic, Research and Development, and Other Licenses of Limited Scope,’ dated May 1998.  Leak tests will be performed at the intervals approved by NRC or an Agreement State and specified in the SSD Registration Certificate. Leak tests will be performed by an organization authorized by NRC or an Agreement State to provide leak testing services to other licensees or using a leak test kit supplied by an organization authorized by NRC or an Agreement State to provide leak test kits to other licensees and according to the sealed source or plated foil manufacturer’s (distributor’s) and kit supplier’s instructions.

11.  Waste Management

We will use the model waste procedures published in Appendix T to final NUREG-1556, Vol. 7, ‘Program-Specific Guidance About Academic, Research and Development, and Other Licenses of Limited Scope,’ dated May 1998.