ABSTRACT
This paper provides the results of an in situ gamma-ray spectrometry intercomparison that was held from 18-21 October 1999, in Grand Junction, CO. This intercomparison was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Measurements Laboratory and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. It featured measurements of a background location and the Walker Field Calibration Pads. In this paper, the in situ gamma-ray measurements of the background location were compared to soil samples, and the in situ measurements of the Walker Field Calibration Pads were compared to corrected reference values. The results showed that 84% of the in situ gamma-ray measurements of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K at the background location fell within 20% of the soil sample mean. Similarly, in situ gamma-ray measurements of the Walker Field Calibration Pads showed that 77% of the in situ concentrations fell within 20% of the corrected reference values.
Subject(s)
Calibration/standards , Potassium Radioisotopes/analysis , Radium/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Spectrometry, Gamma/methods , Spectrometry, Gamma/standards , Thorium/analysis , Background Radiation , Radiation Dosage , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Spectrometry, Gamma/instrumentation , United StatesABSTRACT
This article is designed to help school nurses plan a children's summer camp. In many ways, it is like a recipe, filled with tried experiences leading to success. Many of the ideas in this article may help others to brainstorm about implementing a camp. The idea for this summer camp originated from an obesity study conducted during the school year. In that study, it was found a large number of students were obese, and the majority of them spent a considerable amount of time in sedentary activities. In addition, the study questionnaire findings indicated that the children were not eating enough fruits or vegetables and had diets with high carbohydrate and fat content. Therefore, the major objective for the summer camp was to introduce the children to structured exercise and nutrition classes. Evaluation indicated the children profited socially, physically, and intellectually from the camp's activities.
Subject(s)
Camping , School Nursing/methods , Child , Child, Preschool , Exercise , Female , Humans , Male , Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Obesity/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Industry uses gamma radiation sterilization because of its superior reliability, safety, and cost savings over the EO fumigation method. EO has many processing variables and is toxic and expensive. The Environmental Protection Agency has recently declared EO to be both mutagenic and carcinogenic. The residual EO in hospital products has been reported to adversely affect hospital workers. Unlike EO fumigation, radiation sterilization imparts no toxic residuals. The coloration and embrittlement problems experienced earlier with some products sterilized by gamma radiation are being overcome with the introduction of new manufacturing materials and lower radiation dosages. Other benefits of radiation sterilization include the option of sterilizing some materials that could not otherwise be sterilized and using new types of packaging to better protect the products and increase shelf-life. The emphasis now being placed on cost containment for health care products will be another significant part of the answer to why industry uses gamma radiation sterilization.
