Radioactive Material
The use and purchase of radioactive material is regulated by the Florida Department of Health. The University of Florida maintains a license to use radioactive material with the State, and the Office of Radiation Safety controls access to licensed material.
All radioactive material purchases must be approved by, and delivered to, the Office of Radiation Safety. Packages are inspected to verify contents and to check for contamination before being delivered to the lab. Note that no radioactive material will be received or delivered on UF holidays.
NEW RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL USE PROPOSALS
To establish new projects that utilize radioactive material at the University of Florida, Principal Investigators are required to obtain authorization from the Executive Radiation Safety Committee. To request authorization, a project proposal must be submitted through the Office of Radiation Safety which details:
- The location where the radioactive material will be used and stored
- The radionuclides which will be used
- Procedures for the handling of the material
- The type of waste and waste minimization practices, particularly regarding mixed waste
Additionally, the following forms must be submitted along with the proposal:
- Proposal Summary Sheet
- Statement of Training for anyone that will be using the radioactive material under the proposal
Further guidance may be found in the UF Radiation Control Guide.
NEW RADIATION WORKER
Individuals who wish to work with radioactive materials at the University of Florida must do so under the supervision of an authorized Principal Investigator (PI).
If you are a new member of an authorized PI’s research group, you are required to:
- Complete the online Radiation Safety Short Course and achieve a passing score of 80%.
- Submit a Statement of Training and Authorization upon successful completion of the course before beginning any work with radioactive materials.
Please note: The Statement of Training and Authorization must be renewed every two years to maintain compliance.
AUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS AND RENEWALS
If there are changes to an existing authorized project involving radioactive materials, an amendment to the authorization is required. Common changes that necessitate an amendment include:
- New Isotopes
- New radioactive material use locations (buildings/rooms)
Additionally, every three years each existing authorization must be renewed. Changes to the authorization may be included in the renewal form.
Please notify the Office of Radiation Safety to amend or renew an existing authorization.
AUTHORIZATION INACTIVATION
If an authorized PI no longer needs to use radioactive material, they may request to become inactive. Doing so eliminates the need for contamination surveys. When inactivated, all remaining radioactive material and radioactive waste must be removed from the lab. The Radiation Safety Office may store some long half-life sources upon request. Inactive PIs may be re-activated without a new proposal submission.
Alternatively, if the PI believes they will not need to use radioactive material in the future, the authorization may be closed. Doing so will require a complete closeout survey of all authorized labs including equipment used for radiological work. Once the labs are deemed clear then all radioactive postings will be removed by Radiation Safety. In this case, a re-activation would require a new proposal submission.