Survey of Radioactive Items in the Home

Whether it be from the sun or naturally encountered substances, we are exposed to radiation every day. Some items found in the home either are naturally radioactive or have a component containing radioactive material. This study was conducted to assess exposure from 4 such items previously shown to be radioactive: Fiestaware, granite, smoke detectors, and Brazil nuts. Using 3 types of radiation detectors to obtain quantitative and qualitative information on the radioactive properties of these items, we found little to no harmful radiation exposure from any of them.