Instructions For Wipe Testing For Radioactive Material Contamination 2018

Instructions for Wipe Testing for Radioactive
Material Contamination
Radiation Safety Program
Environmental Health & Safety
713-500-5840
Outline of Instructions
Purpose of Wipe Tests
UTHealth Wipe Test Requirements
Wipe Test Materials
Appropriate Lab Attire
UTHealth Radiation Safety Forms
Instructions for Wipe Tests
How to Clean a Contaminated Area
Safety Resources on the Web
Summary
Purpose of Wipe Tests for Radioactive
Material Contamination
• To ensure that education, research,

and health-care related activities take
place in conditions that are optimally
safe and healthy for students, faculty,
staff, visitors, surrounding
community, and general public.
UTHealth Wipe Test
Requirements
• Any Room Authorized to Work with Radioactive
Materials Must at Least
• Document monthly wipes where used, stored and selected
“clean” areas
• If storage only, monthly wipe test of storage location
• If no use AND no storage, monthly statement indicating “no
radioactive material used or stored for XXX month”
• Additional requirements may occur for researchers
working with greater than 5 mCi
• Urine bioassay and more frequent surveys
Contamination Survey
• For the protection of the researchers and all workers

in the lab, a contamination survey should be
performed at the end of each experiment or project.
• Proper documentation requires written survey results
at least monthly
• Can be performed with a Geiger-Mueller detector
• Simple check to make sure there is no contamination
in the lab that may have resulted from the radiation
work
Safety Resources on the Web
www.uth.edu
safety
Radiation Safety
RS-08
Radiation Safety Requirements
Upon Receipt of Radioactive Material
Documented monthly lab wipe tests

 Wear proper attire
 Lab coat
 Eye protection
 Gloves
 Gather equipment
 Cotton swab, filter paper, or paper towel
 Vial or Envelope
Attire & Equipment
Wipe Test Procedure
Use cotton swab to take several samples from

different areas within the lab
At least one wipe in storage area
 If no use or storage in month, document as “no use or
storage in XXX month”
Place samples in separate vial or envelope
Label each vial or envelope noting the location of
the sample
Fill out “Laboratory Wipe Test Report”
Collecting the Sample
• Take samples using a “S” motion while rotating the

cotton swab. Also shown, collecting a sample using
a chem wipe.
Collecting the Sample
Cut stick of cotton swab down to fit inside vial and close vial with lid.
Preparing the Samples
• Samples are placed individually in separate
eppendorf tubes and 1 mL of cocktail or enough
cocktail to cover the sample is added
• A blank Eppendorf tube is prepared in the same
manner that will serve as the background sample
• Take out cotton swab and place in tube
• Fill tube with approximately 1 ml of cocktail and
close tube
Loading the Samples
Place tubes into vial holders
Insert tubes into LSC racks
Load racks into the Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC)
and flag the samples for counting by moving tab.
Example for loading the LSC:
 Slide the tab located on the rack to the position where the color
is not showing.
 This tells the LSC that the sample has not been read.
 When the tab is in the opposite position it signals to the user
and LSC that the sample has been read.
Loading the Samples
Place closed tube into vial holder Tab position indicates vials to be read.
Tab position indicates vials will not be read. Load rack into LSC to run wipe test
Liquid Scintillation Counters (LSCs)
Filling out the Report
• Fill out all necessary information

• Authorized user
• Date
• Building and Room number
• Wipe tested by
• Draw and label laboratory diagram in
space provided
RS-08 form
How to know if there is
contamination?
• Wipe test results show counts in excess of three
times the background count.
• Contaminated area should be documented and
cleaned, then re-wiped to verify area now clean.
• Channels on the LSC should be set to maximum
beta energy for isotope(s) of interest
• If upon running a wipe test a channel produces
high value counts, then based upon that channel
one can determine what isotope is the
contaminating factor
Quick Contamination
Calculation
• A rule of thumb for determining if the area is
contaminated is if the sample CPM is greater than
three (3) times that of the background
Contaminated area > (3)*(Background)

If Area is Contaminated
• Take proper precautions
• IF MINOR Spill or Contaminated Area–
• Clean the affected area per proper lab cleanup
procedures
• IF MAJOR Spill or Contaminated Area-
• Secure the area, prevent re-entry
• Contact Radiation Safety for Assistance
• 713-500-5840 During Business Hours
• 713-500-4357 After Hours (500-HELP) UT Police
How to Clean Up Contamination
• Ensure that spill is contained
• Limit traffic where event
occurred.
• Prevent runoff (from table to
floor or spreading on table).
• Inform coworkers and lab
manager.
• Call Radiation Safety! (713)
500-5840
• Obtain necessary
supplies for cleanup
• Paper towels or diapers
• RADCON or Scrubbing
Bubbles (DOW)
• Opaque plastic bags for
waste.
• Labels
• Gloves
• Ensure that contamination is contained

• Spray area with RADCON or Scrubbing Bubbles (DOW) to

lift contamination from the surface
How to Clean Up a Contamination
• Wipe from the outside in so not to spread the

contamination
How to Clean Up a Contamination
Dispose waste in a proper waste container or in a

black bag with
proper labeling
Review
• Documented Monthly Wipe Tests
for Radioactive Material
Contamination are Required
• A Radioactive Spill or
Contaminated Area Should be
Decontaminated (Cleaned) and
Wipe Tested Again
• For Assistance, You can Contact
Radiation Safety at 713-500-5840

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Instructions for Wipe Testing for Radioactive

• To ensure that education, research,

• For the protection of the researchers and all workers

Documented monthly lab wipe tests

Use cotton swab to take several samples from

• Take samples using a “S” motion while rotating the

• Fill out all necessary information

Contaminated area > (3)*(Background)

• Ensure that contamination is contained

• Spray area with RADCON or Scrubbing Bubbles (DOW) to

• Wipe from the outside in so not to spread the

Dispose waste in a proper waste container or in a

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