Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Accident with radiation?

ScienceHideout - 22-8-2014 at 16:52

I was reading about storage of chemicals today and it got me thinking- "I think that I should put my vial of uranium sulfate in secondary containment." So, I got my lead pig down, and opened it up, but it was too late. I wasn't wearing gloves... and you know how it is really hydroscopic? Well, the whole vial was in solution form, and I noticed that there were a few microdrops that may have leaked from the cap. So... assuming the worst, I ran to the sink and rinsed my hands off REALLY well. I then washed them with soap and water. I went back to the room and put gloves on, and gently wiped the vial with paper towel. The wet spots on the towel were yellow :P. I took care of the containment... wrapping it up in parafilm and plastic bags REALLY well. I am seriously worried that my skin may have actually come in direct contact with a miniscule amount of uranium. So, I read the MSDS sheets. You know how MSDS sheets are. One says you are going to die, the other one says rinse for fifteen minutes with water whether you are talking about sodium chloride or mercury chloride!

I don't feel like I was harmed. I am sure that I will live. My finger does not look or feel any different. But anyways, I would really just like to see what you guys think because there is always a speck of doubt. I am quite certain that there are people who work with radioactive things on a daily basis, and I just would like to know what you would do if this happened.

Thanks,
Dean

neptunium - 22-8-2014 at 17:22

my humble opinion? you are just as fine as if you would have messed with a jar of peanut butter...it aint like you drown in it!
dont panic nothing significant got into your system. you had a mess you cleanned it up ... moving on...

[Edited on 23-8-2014 by neptunium]

ScienceHideout - 22-8-2014 at 17:31

Cool, thanks for the comfort Neptunium :)

I know that you have worked with radioactives quite a bit before, so if you insist that I will be fine, well, I really respect and believe your opinion.

neptunium - 22-8-2014 at 17:35

no problem...i know it can be scary and you did the right thing. but uranium salt are mostly alpha emitter and dont penetrate the skin. the fine dust in large quantity can be a hazard but unless you dink your solution you'll be ok:)

careysub - 22-8-2014 at 18:06

Quote: Originally posted by ScienceHideout  
I was reading about storage of chemicals today and it got me thinking- "I think that I should put my vial of uranium sulfate in secondary containment." So, I got my lead pig down, and opened it up, but it was too late. I wasn't wearing gloves... and you know how it is really hydroscopic? Well, the whole vial was in solution form, and I noticed that there were a few microdrops that may have leaked from the cap. So... assuming the worst, I ran to the sink and rinsed my hands off REALLY well. I then washed them with soap and water. I went back to the room and put gloves on, and gently wiped the vial with paper towel. The wet spots on the towel were yellow :P. I took care of the containment... wrapping it up in parafilm and plastic bags REALLY well. I am seriously worried that my skin may have actually come in direct contact with a miniscule amount of uranium. So, I read the MSDS sheets. You know how MSDS sheets are. One says you are going to die, the other one says rinse for fifteen minutes with water whether you are talking about sodium chloride or mercury chloride!

I don't feel like I was harmed. I am sure that I will live. My finger does not look or feel any different. But anyways, I would really just like to see what you guys think because there is always a speck of doubt. I am quite certain that there are people who work with radioactive things on a daily basis, and I just would like to know what you would do if this happened.

Thanks,
Dean


If you want a detailed report on what is known about uranium toxicity look at this:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp150-c3.pdf

There are no known cases of adverse human effects from dermal exposure apparently.

They can get toxic effects in lab animals by painting them with large amounts of soluble compounds for days or weeks, but dermal absorption of uranium is very poor.

subsecret - 27-8-2014 at 18:42

Actually, my chemistry professor was exposed to a good bit of some radioactive isotope of iodine. Nothing she had to be decontaminated, but suffered no serious injuries.

Oscilllator - 27-8-2014 at 20:51

By far and away the most worrying thing here is not in fact that Uranium is radioactive (as neptunium pointed out, Uranium emits mostly He2+) but that Uranium is a heavy metal, and as such is fairly toxic. As such if I spilt Uranium on my hand I would treat it the same way as if I had spilt lead or mercury.

chornedsnorkack - 27-8-2014 at 23:27

Quote: Originally posted by Oscilllator  
By far and away the most worrying thing here is not in fact that Uranium is radioactive (as neptunium pointed out, Uranium emits mostly He2+) but that Uranium is a heavy metal, and as such is fairly toxic. As such if I spilt Uranium on my hand I would treat it the same way as if I had spilt lead or mercury.


Um, mercury and lead form organic compounds that can get through membranes. Uranium does not. You do have to pay attention to specific chemistry, otherwise you will think beryllium safe because it is not heavy.

HeYBrO - 28-8-2014 at 00:41

Quote: Originally posted by chornedsnorkack  
Quote: Originally posted by Oscilllator  
By far and away the most worrying thing here is not in fact that Uranium is radioactive (as neptunium pointed out, Uranium emits mostly He2+) but that Uranium is a heavy metal, and as such is fairly toxic. As such if I spilt Uranium on my hand I would treat it the same way as if I had spilt lead or mercury.


Um, mercury and lead form organic compounds that can get through membranes. Uranium does not. You do have to pay attention to specific chemistry, otherwise you will think beryllium safe because it is not heavy.


what oscillator said still holds true in context of the thread pertaining to Uranium sulphate. He made no mention to any organic mercury or lead compounds and is not related to the thread... However, it is correct some organic mercury compounds can permeate through gloves (e.g. dimethyl mercury)

Edit: damn auto correct

[Edited on 28-8-2014 by HeYBrO]

neptunium - 28-8-2014 at 07:02

20 years ago i worked in nuclear power plant in "hot" zone we had to decontaminate all kinds of pumps, tools, shields, pipes etc ... some of it can and regulary do end up on your suit or even on your skin...
no big deal the gate on your way out ,picked it up and you had to be decomtaminated sometimes with sometimes without underwear....
it happens...
i am still here to talk about it and i can assure you there is worse things than uranium compound out there!

Pyro - 28-8-2014 at 12:21

it's no real problem unless you eat it.

woelen - 28-8-2014 at 23:22

Quote: Originally posted by ScienceHideout  
I was reading about storage of chemicals today and it got me thinking- "I think that I should put my vial of uranium sulfate in secondary containment." So, I got my lead pig down, and opened it up, but it was too late. I wasn't wearing gloves... and you know how it is really hydroscopic? Well, the whole vial was in solution form, and I noticed that there were a few microdrops that may have leaked from the cap. So... assuming the worst, I ran to the sink and rinsed my hands off REALLY well. I then washed them with soap and water. I went back to the room and put gloves on, and gently wiped the vial with paper towel. The wet spots on the towel were yellow :P. I took care of the containment... wrapping it up in parafilm and plastic bags REALLY well. I am seriously worried that my skin may have actually come in direct contact with a miniscule amount of uranium. So, I read the MSDS sheets. You know how MSDS sheets are. One says you are going to die, the other one says rinse for fifteen minutes with water whether you are talking about sodium chloride or mercury chloride!

I don't feel like I was harmed. I am sure that I will live. My finger does not look or feel any different. But anyways, I would really just like to see what you guys think because there is always a speck of doubt. I am quite certain that there are people who work with radioactive things on a daily basis, and I just would like to know what you would do if this happened.

Thanks,
Dean

Your panic did much more harm to you (think of how your heart must have suffered from this event) than the uranium did. Radioactivity of uranium is low and brief exposure to its radioactivity has no impact at all. Background radiation which you have 24/7 over the year introduces much more radiation strain than a few minutes of exposure to the uranium salt.