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Related Experiment Videos

Video display terminals and radon

J F Ziegler1, T H Zabel, H W Curtis

  • 1IBM Research, Yorktown, NY 10598.

Health Physics
|September 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Video display terminals (VDTs) attract and collect radioactive radon progeny when turned off. However, studies show that switching VDTs on and off poses no significant inhalation risk to operators due to room air dilution.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Occupational Safety
  • Radioactivity Studies

Background:

  • Video display terminals (VDTs) may accumulate radon progeny from ambient air.
  • Negative electric fields on VDTs, particularly when off, can attract positively charged radioactive particles.
  • Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for assessing potential operator exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of radon progeny collection by VDTs.
  • To evaluate methods for removing accumulated radioactivity from VDTs.
  • To assess the inhalation risks associated with VDT operation, specifically during electric field reversal.

Main Methods:

  • Detailed study of radioactivity accumulation on VDTs in various states (on/off).
  • Evaluation of different techniques for radioactivity removal.
  • Analysis of electric field dynamics during VDT switching.
  • Monitoring of potential radioactivity release and user inhalation during field reversal.

Main Results:

  • VDTs, especially when off, effectively getter (collect) radon progeny due to electrostatic attraction.
  • Various methods were assessed for radioactivity removal, both during VDT operation and idle states.
  • Switching VDTs on and off causes electric field reversals near the screen.
  • While some radioactivity is released during field reversal, room air currents effectively disperse it, preventing significant inhalation by operators.

Conclusions:

  • VDTs can act as collection sites for airborne radon progeny.
  • Effective methods exist for managing accumulated radioactivity on VDTs.
  • The operational cycle of VDTs, including field reversals, does not lead to detectable inhalation exposure for users.

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