Products that use radioactive material

• Some types of transistors are now doped with radioactive impurities.
• Vanadium used to harden steel contains a naturally occurring vanadium radio isotope.
• Hafnium used to harden steel is also radioactive.
• Tungsten thoriated rods used in welding usually contain 2-3% radioactive thorium.
• The magnetron in a microwave oven uses thorium on its negative electrode.
• Cold cathode radio tubes use cathodes that have been coated with thorium oxide.
• The floor lights and exit signs in commercial airplanes use tritium gas.
• Watch dials that glow use tritium salts.
• Certain rifle sights use tritium salts.
• Welsbach gas mantles are soaked in thorium nitrate.
• Sodium vapor street lamps contain a thorium saturated disc.
• When you get a C.A.T. scan they inject radioactive sodium iodide into your blood.
• Smoke detectors use Americium-241, this is aged plutonium.
• Types of cancers are treated with highly radioactive Cobalt-60.
• Some frozen food companies are now irradiating food with Colbalt-60.
• Radio Isotopic Generators use Plutonium-238 as their heat source.
• Cardiac pacemakers are powered by Plutonium.

The Benefits of Irradiation

(I) Irradiation of transistors can improve their properties to a great extent. This is of special value in high-speed circuits, especially for use in super computers.

(II) Rubber can be vulcanized by using radiation in place of sulfur, and therefore has a better temperature resistance.

(III) Irradiation of diseased tissue will kill ailing cells. Treatment of malfunctioning cells and cancers by irradiation is well known. However, radiation therapy has destructive qualities, it destroys the healthy tissues as well. This drawback has been alleviated. An area in the energy-spectrum, an area known as soft x-ray has been found which destroys unhealthy cells, without the danger to healthy cells, and yet still has deep penetrating properties. T.H. Moray used this spectrum in his electrotheraputic device.

(IV) Irradiated plastic has greater strength and elasticity than ordinary structural steel of the same thickness; besides, this plastic is so heat-resistant that it will substantially reduce the risk of fire in a building. Owning to its great strength, it has to be given its final form before irradiation.

(V) Irradiated food will remain preserved for up to ten years sealed in a plastic bag. If we were to irradiate food before its consumption we would be very healthy people. Bacteria and virus can not survive irradiation. After irradiation food will not become radioactive, contrary to what is assumed.

* I-V... Atomic Energy, Lehrburger, 1958