[Zurück]

K. Poljanc, G. Steinhauser, J.H. Sterba, K. Buchtela, M. Bichler:
"Beyond low-level activity: On a "non-radioactive""gas mantle";
Science of the Total Environment, 374 (2007), S. 36 - 42.

Gas mantles for camping gas lanterns sometimes contain thorium compounds. During the last years, the use of thorium-free gas
mantles has become more and more popular due to the avoidance of a radioactive heavy metal. We investigated a gas mantle type
that is declared to be "non-radioactive" and that can be bought in Austria at the moment. Methods used were Instrumental Neutron
Activation Analysis (INAA), γ-spectroscopy, and Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC). We found massive thorium contents of up
to 259 mg per gas mantle. Leaching experiments showed that only 0.4% of the Th but approximately 90% of the decay products of
232Th can be leached under conditions simulating sucking and chewing with human saliva. In this paper, the investigation of these
gas mantles including the consideration of the environmental hazard caused by disposed mantles and the health hazard for
unsuspecting consumers is presented and legal consequences are discussed for this fraud.