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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:34 pm
thank you!
Lucy -
We’re sorry to hear you have a rash, and we urge you to get it checked by a doctor. The good news is that the rash is extremely unlikely to be due to radiation from the americium-241.
The reason Am-241, in the form of americium dioxide (AmO2) is used in smoke detectors is because in the small quantities found there it results in so little exposure for humans. According to our scientists, in fact, if you stood in front of the source at a 1 meter distance for an entire year, you’d be getting approximately 0.027 millisieverts of exposure -- less than a typical chest x-ray (0.1 millisieverts) and 100 times less than the normal background exposure (3 millisieverts per year).
If you would like to read more about Am-241 and its safety, check this article from the World Nuclear Association: http://www.world-nuclear.org/informatio ... icium.aspx
Amy Cowen
Science Buddies