Stolen Radioactive Camera Recovered Along A Tulsa Highway

[rainbow4321]

http://www.kotv.com/main/home/stories.asp?whichpage=1&id=92836

Tulsa Police have recovered an industrial camera that was reported stolen Monday, which contains a highly-hazardous, radioactive material.

Iridium-192 sparks concern because it's mentioned as a potential source for a so-called dirty bomb, the sort of bomb that its feared terrorists could use to contaminate an area.

The bad news is the camera had Iridium-192, which emits highly-ionizing gamma radiation, the most damaging kind to human tissue. The good news is the camera's casing was secure and all the Iridium was accounted for.

Even in a worst-case scenario, Potter says the material wouldn't make for a very good dirty bomb, because it wouldn't disperse very well and could quickly be detected. "It is particulate so some of it may go through the air and travel a certain distance, but they would be able to clean it up."

[dcfirefighter]

1. There are industrial radioactive sources everywhere.

Some of them quite active, esp. industrial & construction X-rays. Your smoke detector has Am-241. Don't worry about it too much.