[time-nuts] How dangerous if Rb lamp broken?

Peter Gottlieb nerd at verizon.net
Tue Jul 9 08:03:43 EDT 2013


Yes but we like coal because if we ignore the dangers and pollution it's co 
cheeeeeeap!

I used to play with the old CRT color TVs and would boost the HV up enough to be 
able to fog film with the X-rays (not well enough to make images though).  I do 
agree with what you say though.


On 7/9/2013 7:49 AM, Robert Atkinson wrote:
> Hi
> Why are so many people radiophobic? As in ionising radiation. There are far more hazardous things in our hobby, electrocution and falling from a height be two of the big killers. I defy anyone to come up with a confirmed case of death caused by radiation as part of our hobby. Lead, solder flux, mercury, PCB's (the chemical in some caps and transformers) and cleaning solvents are all more harmful to our health. The use of radioisotopes directly or indirectly saves lives every day. Coal fired powerstations release more long life radioactive isotopes ro the environment than a nuclear one would ever be permitted to, plus a load of heavy metals.
>   
> Rant off,
> Robert G8RPI.
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Volker Esper <ailer2 at t-online.de>
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement <time-nuts at febo.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, 9 July 2013, 11:33
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] How dangerous if Rb lamp broken?
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> Toxicity is not the problem. Radioactivity was my biggest concern, when
> I ordered my first Rb-clock.The manufacturer told me, there's no
> radioactivity, that you have to fear. When the package came I used a
> Geiger tube to calm myself down - there was no measurable activity at all.
>
>
> If the clock doesn't work anymore, be careful when opening it, the bulb
> could be broken (though impropable). I don't know how the Rubidium will
> react in such a case, but it can react with the air and start to burn
> (but remember, it's a very small amount) and you could get some mg of a
> strong base, which is corrosive/caustic.
>
> To come to the point: You won't be able to "wreak havoc" with a Rb-lamp...
>
>
> Volker
>
>
> Am 09.07.2013 11:40, schrieb Attila Kinali:
>> On Tue, 09 Jul 2013 11:24:27 +0200
>> Magnus Danielson<magnus at rubidium.dyndns.org>  wrote:
>>
>>      
>>> On 07/09/2013 06:07 AM, Hui Zhang wrote:
>>>        
>>>> Dear Group:
>>>>        I have four compact Rb Stanard, but I am worried about what if my Rb lamp broken in accident someday? How dangerous of this situration? Is Rb87 came out from Rb lamp will be a disaster? You know I haven't any beta rays detect instrument.
>>>>          
>>> Considering that you have 48,8 milliard years in half-time, you are
>>> pretty safe. The problem is rather that it reacts to water and becomes a
>>> strong base, so you want to keep it dry and well protected. Keeping it
>>> in a clock chassi is good enough.
>>>        
>> IIRC Rb is hygroscopic, ie keeping dry wont help, it will react with
>> the air humidity as well. But then, you have only a couple mg of Rb
>> in the cell. And the whole thing is enclosed. So you wont get much
>> exposure anyways. As for toxidity, AFAIK Rb by itself is not toxic.
>> Rb solution is, as Magnus said, a strong base, but you will get very little
>> of it and and i am not aware of any toxidity beside being a stron base.
>> So don't let it get into your eyes and you will be fine :-)
>>
>> For comparison: Natrium hydroxide is sold in tablet form as un-clogging agent.
>> It is, for it being a strong base, rated with a high toxidity/danger class,
>> (about the same as hydrochloric acid) but is not toxic in it self.
>> Handling it is safe, unless you throw a lot of it into water.
>> In dry form, the most danger it poses is making soap out of the fat
>> in your skin :-)
>>
>>              Attila Kinali
>>
>>      
>
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