How many Bq/g is the acceptable radioactivity level? Thanks.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 29 Jan 2004 12:59 PST

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has authority over
radiation emitted from electronic devices (TVs, cell phones, microwave
ovens, etc) and has established radiation limits for many devices. 
These limits vary from one product to another, and the limits are
usually given in terms of mR/hr at a fixed distance.

Would you like me to post this type of information as an answer to your question?

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Clarification of Question by tlimg-ga on 29 Jan 2004 14:00 PST

I'm looking for limit for chemical product like fertilizer. I'm not
sure but I believe the alpha reading of the product needs to be
somewhere 7 bq/gram. I need an answer in terms of bq/gram. Thanks.

The limit quoted in this article
(http://www.fluoridealert.org/pollution/index.php/pollution/content/view/full/1351)
for naturally occurring radioactive material going into landfills is a
maximum of 2000 picocuries per gram of waste. One picocurie equals 37
milliBequerels(Bq), so that is an acceptable limit of 74Bq/g.

Apparently, this is state rather than federally regulated. The EPA
declined to regulate NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials)
and TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive
materials) in 1999, and I do not believe that they have changed that
position.

The federal regulations for drinking water stipulate no more than 15
picocuries per liter for alpha particles and 5 picocuries per liter
for Radium. 1L=1Kg=1000g, so that's 185mBq per kilogram, or
185picobequerels per gram.

That stuff is here: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls

Occupational exposure is limited to 500millirem/year, but that depends
upon handling conditions, so it is impossible to convert directly. If
the EPA does set guidelines for naturally occurring radiation in
consumer products, they are likely to use a dosage standard rather
than a content standard.

The horse's mouth is probably here:
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/docs/nas_resp.pdf

Alan Kali