Is my used Geiger counter radioactive?

[fresh_42]

I only worry because Amazon sometimes will get returned products and repackage and sell them off as new.

I have heard the story the other way around: they throw away brand new returns because repackage and restore them would be too expensive.

 

[justamom]

I have heard the story the other way around: they throw away brand new returns because repackage and restore them would be too expensive.

Also yesterday my 2 year old found a big rock in the backyard, she was holding it and I took it from her to see it had green on it too, does this mean it is radioactive and has uranium in it? Do I need to throw away the clothes she wore when she was playing with it? Can the uranium from the rock contaminate her hands her clothes etc?

 

[fresh_42]

Also yesterday my 2 year old found a big rock in the backyard, she was holding it and I took it from her to see it had green on it too, does this mean it is radioactive and has uranium in it? Do I need to throw away the clothes she wore when she was playing with it? Can the uranium from the rock contaminate her hands her clothes etc?

The green on the rock is most likely of biological origin, algae or moss. If you are lucky, then it is olivine. Neither of them is radioactive. The chances that there is uranium in or on the rock are basically zero.

 

[justamom]

The green on the rock is most likely of biological origin, algae or moss. If you are lucky, then it is olivine. Neither of them is radioactive. The chances that there is uranium in or on the rock are basically zero.

it didn’t look like algae or moss,I hope it was just olivine...

btw but how do u know so much about radiation? What kind of background or profession do u have?

 

[fresh_42]

What kind of background or profession do u have?

None which is related to it. But nuclear energy and its dangers are other than in France or the US a topic here since the 80's - even before Chernobyl. The next plant is just a few miles away, and in case of a nuclear war, I would be hit as one of the first (10 miles away from a #1 target).

It is not necessary to have specific knowledge to assess your situation. School physics, and endless discussions about the danger of nuclear energy are sufficient. It is probably far more dangerous (in terms of radiation) to fly from New York to Hawaii than it is to be in your home.

If you had said that there is a nuclear power plant or other nuclear facility in your neighborhood, then I would have spoken otherwise. Those who support the use of nuclear energy say it's harmless, but truth is that e.g. leukemia casualties around the British Sellafield have been significantly higher than elsewhere (in the 80's, not sure about the current situation). Those nuclear industry complexes might be a danger, and I am personally not really happy, that so many of them are old and placed along the American pacific coast, a seismic hot spot, but this is not the subject here. As mentioned by others, smoke from tobacco is far more radioactive than what usually can be found in a household. If it was so easy to find radioactive material anywhere, then some bad guys would already had used it.

 

[justamom]

None which is related to it. But nuclear energy and its dangers are other than in France or the US a topic here since the 80's - even before Chernobyl. The next plant is just a few miles away, and in case of a nuclear war, I would be hit as one of the first (10 miles away from a #1 target).

It is not necessary to have specific knowledge to assess your situation. School physics, and endless discussions about the danger of nuclear energy are sufficient. It is probably far more dangerous (in terms of radiation) to fly from New York to Hawaii than it is to be in your home.

If you had said that there is a nuclear power plant or other nuclear facility in your neighborhood, then I would have spoken otherwise. Those who support the use of nuclear energy say it's harmless, but truth is that e.g. leukemia casualties around the British Sellafield have been significantly higher than elsewhere (in the 80's, not sure about the current situation). Those nuclear industry complexes might be a danger, and I am personally not really happy, that so many of them are old and placed along the American pacific coast, a seismic hot spot, but this is not the subject here. As mentioned by others, smoke from tobacco is far more radioactive than what usually can be found in a household. If it was so easy to find radioactive material anywhere, then some bad guys would already had used it.

Actually we live 30 miles from a nuclear power plant as well as a few miles from former marines base

 

[mfb]

but truth is that e.g. leukemia casualties around the British Sellafield have been significantly higher than elsewhere

Leukemia cases around planned but never constructed nuclear power plants are higher as well.
Cherry-picking and mixing correlation with causality isn't evidence of anything.
If you account for the demographics the effect disappears.
https://www.nature.com/news/2011/110506/full/news.2011.275.html

@justamom: There are just a few hundred people who have access to the dangerous parts of Chernobyl and Fukushima, and they don't use $100 Geiger counters from Amazon. And if they would then your Geiger counter would detect it.
There is really nothing to worry about.

I work with particle accelerators and have worked with irradiated materials.

 

[justamom]

Leukemia cases around planned but never constructed nuclear power plants are higher as well.
Cherry-picking and mixing correlation with causality isn't evidence of anything.
If you account for the demographics the effect disappears.
https://www.nature.com/news/2011/110506/full/news.2011.275.html

@justamom: There are just a few hundred people who have access to the dangerous parts of Chernobyl and Fukushima, and they don't use $100 Geiger counters from Amazon. And if they would then your Geiger counter would detect it.
There is really nothing to worry about.

I work with particle accelerators and have worked with irradiated materials.

Thank you, but what if someone put it directly on top of cesium 137? I saw some guy on YouTube who bought the same Geiger counter as me and he placed it directly on top of a piece of cesium 137

 

[Vanadium 50]

Oh, for heavens sake. You got your answer, several times. It's clear you don't want to believe it (I don't understand why), so don't. Throw the doggone thing out and be done with it then.

 

[justamom]

Oh, for heavens sake. You got your answer, several times. It's clear you don't want to believe it (I don't understand why), so don't. Throw the doggone thing out and be done with it then.

I have really bad contamination OCD, it’s so hard for me to be logical because my brain keeps telling me I harmed my kids and baby somehow by contaminating them...

 

[DaveC426913]

I have really bad contamination OCD, it’s so hard for me to be logical because my brain keeps telling me I harmed my kids and baby somehow by contaminating them...

Yup. I just drew attention to that (sorry @Vanadium 50 I was too quick on-the-draw), for readers just tuning in.

You know your condition, and I'll bet you know that knowing it doesn't make it go way, yes?I think it's important to point out that there's very little we can do to mollify your concerns beyond what has already been said. If you are still concerned at this point, you will have to decide for yourself what more direct and more conclusive measures you need to take.

 

[justamom]

Yup. I just drew attention to that (sorry @Vanadium 50 I was too quick on-the-draw), for readers just tuning in.

You know your condition, and I'll bet you know that knowing it doesn't make it go way, yes?I think it's important to point out that there's very little we can do to mollify your concerns beyond what has already been said. If you are still concerned at this point, you will have to decide for yourself what more direct and more conclusive measures you need to take.

i know. The only reason I even bought a Geiger counter is because I had worried about radiation in the new house we were moving into, worried about the mortar inside the house, the limestone floors, the granite, the previous owners or people who entered the house after who could have contaminated it. Then after I got the Geiger counters, I kept worrying their used because they had scratches on them or stains on the manual... it is all OCD, because nothing can bring me peace of mind... I’m so sorry for bothering all of u. I really appreciate all of ur answers and help.

 

[artis]

@justamom I have vegetative dystonia it doesn't make me afraid of anything but it causes other setbacks. The only thing I can suggest to you is to just care less , yes sometimes it is better to care less for the things around us than to care more because if caring more about any minor thing causes you to be stressed then trust me it will only lead to poorer health and less happiness long term.
I don't want to be judgemental but the way I see it , too many parents these days torture their kids with all kinds of made up dangers and they scare them. Kids even though they don't understand the language they feel the parents emotional state even better than we adults feel one another. In the long term I believe and actual studies have also concluded that our children are affected by the emotional background that their parents raised them up in. So I would suggest to you to not worry and actually work with your OCD because that will do you more harm long term than anything radiation related ever. This is a fact.

Remember what Roosevelt once said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". I knew a woman who had to learn this literally, her nerve problems prevented her from doing many simple things as she was afraid of them, like taking a train or a bus if it crossed a bridge anywhere etc. Irrational fear severely affects a person even to the point of premature illness and death.
Speaking about cancer and radiation. A human body has trillions of cells , cells constantly die off and new ones are created, statistically speaking this is a nightmare , hard to make any long term predictions out of a process that involves so many unknown variables. What I want to say with this?
The truth is that linking cancer to a specific cause , unless the cause is extremely obvious , like working in a asbestos mine, is very hard if not impossible. Cancer can be caused by lots of factors and not all people are equally susceptible to it. By the way, not enough sleep, stress and bad diet can also lead to it. By far I think this is a much bigger cause than anything radiation related. Tobacco is surely another proven danger.
Your tiny little dosimeter and your granite tops and mortar play no real role in all of this, you can be sure of that.
And in case you are afraid of green rocks, well you now have a dosimeter I suggest you use it , but not out of fear but for learning purposes and curiosity. Take a reading of the rock, if nothing changes you know it's not Uranium...One other thing you should know. Naturally radioactive ore or elements are not really dangerous, unless you eat them or try to use them as table salts, elements only really become dangerous once they have been irradiated/underwent a nuclear reaction. Stuff like spent fuel, reactor core parts etc.
Trust me you will not come across them in your entire life even if you wanted to.

 

[dlgoff]

Throw the doggone thing out and be done with it then.

NO! I'll take it. I like radiation.

 

[dlgoff]

Anyone receiving 0.3 mSv per hour would be an emergency that makes international news.

Thought this might be helpful:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...-dose-and-peak-dose-rate.996383/#post-6421019

 

[Vanadium 50]

I have really bad contamination OCD, it’s so hard for me to be logical because my brain keeps telling me I harmed my kids and baby somehow by contaminating them...

Then you should seek professional help for that. We've told you your fears are illogical, you admit your fears are illogical, so going around the block more times isn't going to help you. You've successfully identified the root problem. Now you have to do something about it.

 

[berkeman]

Then you should seek professional help for that. We've told you your fears are illogical, you admit your fears are illogical, so going around the block more times isn't going to help you. You've successfully identified the root problem. Now you have to do something about it.

This is good advice. @justamom -- OCD is not healthy, and you will worry your kids as they get older if you do not get help now. There are good therapies to help you deal with these obsessions, and your family doctor is a good resource to start with. Best of luck. This thread is now closed.

Thank you to all who have been trying to help.