Evaluation of Static Eliminators Containing Polonium-210

Six static eliminators containing radioactive polonium-210 microspheres were examined subsequent to a contamination incident at a commercial facility. It was found that cracked and broken microspheres were being produced and incorporated into new devices and even “as received” devices were potential sources of contamination. It is shown that rough handling of the devices may initiate polonium-210 leakage during or prior to service. The epoxy binder used in the devices appears to suffer significant environmental and material damage even under ambient conditions. The effects of solvents, heat, moisture, or vibration during service may accelerate this damage. The breakdown of the epoxy binder appears to be a significant contributor to the contamination by loose microspheres or microsphere fragments.