Protecting the Human Health and the Environment from Sealed Sources

摘要

The radioactive materials in “public” locations are typically contained in small, stainless steel capsulesrnknown as sealed radiation sources (RS). These RS are used for a wide variety of applications at hospitals,rnmedical clinics, manufacturing plants, universities, construction sites, and other facilities in the public sector.rnRadiation sources are readily available, and worldwide there are hundreds of thousands of RS.rnThe accidental mismanagement of RS has caused a large number of people to receive very high, and even fatalrnThe deliberate mismanagement of RS is also of growing international concern. Because of their small size,rnpotency, availability, and “nuclear” nature, there is concern that a terrorist could use a radiation source to createrna “radiological weapon,” or “dirty bomb.” The ruthlessness of the Sept. 11 attacks makes it clear that the risksrnof a nuclear terrorist act are higher than previously thought, says Mohamed El-Baradei, Director General of thernInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IMPRSS Project is a cooperative development between thernEgyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Egyptian Ministry of Health (MOH), Sandia National Laboratoriesrn(SNL), New Mexico Tech University (NMT), and Agriculture Cooperative Development Internationalrn(ACDI/VOCA). SNL will coordinate the work scope between the participant organizations.