Nuclear Carboy??

LouisianaVince · 01-24-2007, 07:29 PM

OK, I finally got a carboy, thanks to a kind-hearted soul in the local brew club. Curious about the markings on it, I did a Google search for NRC M 3008 and the word Carboy. Some of the responses from Google had to do with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) use of carboys for disposal of radioactive waste. So, is there any way to know if this particular carboy was intended for or used for such a purpose?

This may be a ridiculous question, so feel free to ridicule me if I have it coming. But go easy on me...I'm still new to this. I just don't want to end up looking like this guy

after brewing in the thing!

Jim Karr · 01-24-2007, 07:32 PM

Do you know anyone who has or has access to a Geiger counter? If there's no radiation, you're probably OK.

LouisianaVince · 01-24-2007, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Karr

Do you know anyone who has or has access to a Geiger counter? If there's no radiation, you're probably OK.

Thanks, Jim. I don't, right off hand. But I have a daughter taking Chemistry in high school right now. Her teacher may have one. I'll check!

Rottnme · 01-24-2007, 09:04 PM

If your beer glows, don't drink it.

I would make a label out of the biohazard symbol just for fun though.

**Orfy** · 01-24-2007, 09:23 PM

Make some of this.

http://www.keelynet.com/interact/arc_1_98-7_98/00001206.htm

**david_42** · 01-24-2007, 09:34 PM

We never used glass carboys for any purpose while I was a nuke, just bright yellow plastic ones with the magenta 'ruptured goose' on the side. Some of our testing equipment was glass, but nothing larger than a 100 ml beaker. Even small sample bottles were plastic.

It's possible, but very unlikely that your carboy was intended for nuclear use. However, even if it had been used any radioactivity present is far more likely to be part of the original glass.

**runhard** · 01-24-2007, 09:47 PM

A local university or community college would likely have a Geiger counter but most of the affordable models are fairly good at detecting high energy beta-particles like phosphorous-32 and not so go for weak emitters like Sulfur-35, C-14. Gamma-radiation is a whole different story. Also, depending if there was a "nuke" in it and what isotope it may have already decayed an no longer be radioactive. We had a guy in the lab who had to wait 142 days before his shoes were no longer radioactive...........the shoes were $180 Italiano thingamagigs. He didn't want to toss them in the rad. trash.

LouisianaVince · 01-24-2007, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runhard

A local university or community college would likely have a Geiger counter but most of the affordable models are fairly good at detecting high energy beta-particles like phosphorous-32 and not so go for weak emitters like Sulfur-35, C-14. Gamma-radiation is a whole different story. Also, depending if there was a "nuke" in it and what isotope it may have already decayed an no longer be radioactive. We had a guy in the lab who had to wait 142 days before his shoes were no longer radioactive...........the shoes were $180 Italiano thingamagigs. He didn't want to toss them in the rad. trash.

Good info (from all of you, in fact, and some funny, too). I just wanted to mention to Runhard that I have a sister and brother-in-law in Buda, TX. Wow...small world!

**runhard** · 01-25-2007, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisianaVince

Wow...small world!

Yup and Buda is definitely small town. If you ever visit your sister and brother-in-law just give me a holler and we'll have whatever is on tap in the beer fridge in the garage.

LouisianaVince · 01-25-2007, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runhard

Yup and Buda is definitely small town. If you ever visit your sister and brother-in-law just give me a holler and we'll have whatever is on tap in the beer fridge in the garage.

Thanks for the offer. I'll take you up on that if I get out that way!