Thorium in collectible glassware
Creators
- 1. Southwest Missouri State Univ., Springfield, MO (United States)
Description
Samples of yellow glass dinnerware produced by twelve different U.S. companies during the 1930's-1950's have been found to contain thorium. The presence of thorium in glass has not previously been reported in the literature. The colorant in the yellow is cerium, obtained from thorium-rich monazite sands. Incomplete chemical separation has resulted in accidential addition of significant quantities of thorium to the glasses. Thorium glass can be identified by gamma-ray spectroscopy, but it is simpler and cheaper to distinguish between thorium glass and other radioactive glasses (uranium glasses and potassium-40 glasses) by use of a Geiger counter. A 0.5-cm thickness of aluminum shielding between the glass and detector reduces gamma-ray counts from uranium-containing or 40K-containing glasses to less than 1% of the unshielded radiation. In contrast, identical shielding allows 10% of the unshielded thorium radiation to reach the counter. Visible absorption spectra and fluorescence properties of yellow thorium glasses are also different from those of uranium glasses
Additional details
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Radioactivity and Radiochemistry
- Journal Volume
- 6
- Journal Issue
- 4
- Journal Page Range
- p. 18-21.
- ISSN
- 1045-845X
- CODEN
- RARAE6
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 28011784
- Subject category
- S37: INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY;
- Quality check status
- Yes
- Descriptors DEI
- ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY; FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY; GEIGER-MUELLER COUNTERS; GLASS; RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS; THORIUM;
- Descriptors DEC
- ACTINIDES; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; ELEMENTS; EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; METALS; QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; RADIATION DETECTORS; SPECTROSCOPY;