ENHANCED RADIOACTIVE CONTENT OF 'BALANCE' BRACELETS

Area of Science:

• Radiological protection
• Environmental radioactivity
• Occupational health

Background:

• Normally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is present in many consumer products.
• The radioactivity levels in common synthetic rubber and silicone items are often unregulated.
• Routine monitoring can detect unexpected sources of radiation exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the source of abnormal radioactivity detected during a worker's whole body count.
• To quantify the radioactivity levels of Thorium-232 and Uranium-238 in a consumer product.
• To assess the associated radiation dose from wearing the contaminated item.

Main Methods:

• Whole body counting of a nuclear worker.
• Direct gamma spectrometry analysis of a rubber bracelet using a high-purity germanium system.
• Radiation dose rate estimation for the wrist surface and center.

Main Results:

• Abnormal levels of Thorium-232 (10.80 ± 1.37 Bq g⁻¹) and natural Uranium-238 (5.68 ± 0.88 Bq g⁻¹) were identified in a rubber bracelet.
• The bracelet significantly exceeded typical NORM average values.
• Estimated annual doses to the wrist ranged from 21 to 34 mGy.

Conclusions:

• Consumer products like rubber bracelets can contain unexpectedly high levels of NORM.
• Uncontrolled radioactivity in widely used synthetic materials poses a risk of unjustified radiation exposure.
• Increased regulatory oversight and material screening are necessary for consumer goods.