Transportation of Radioactive Materials
The transportation of radioactive materials is governed by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation (DOT), which establishes the guidelines for pack-
aging, types of packaging material, limits of radioactivity in a package, and
exposure limits. Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations(49CFR) and
10CFR71 contain all these regulations related to packaging and trans-
portation of radioactive materials.
There are two types of packaging:
Type A: This type of packaging is used primarily for most radiopharma-
ceuticals. Such packaging is sufficient to prevent loss of radioactive mate-
rial with proper shielding to maintain the prescribed exposure during
normal transportation. The limits of radioactivities of various radionu-
clides under this category are specified in 49CFR and 10CFR71.
Type B: When the radioactivity exceeds the limits specified in Type A, Type
B packaging must be used. Such packaging is considerably more accident
resistant and is required for very large quantities of radioactive material.
The packages must pass certain tests such as the drop test, corner drop
test, compression test, and 30-min water spray test.
The radioactive packages must be labeled properly before transporta-
tion. There are three types of labels (Fig. 16.3) according to the exposure
reading in mR/hr at 1 m from the surface of the package (transport index).
The criteria for the three labels are given in Table 16.3. The transport index
(TI) must be indicated on the label and the sign “RADIOACTIVE” must
be placed on the package. The maximum permissible TI value is 10,
although it is limited to three for passenger-carrying aircrafts. For liquids,
the label “THIS SIDE UP” must be placed on the package. Each package
must be labeled on opposite sides with the appropriate warning label (one
of the labels in Table 16.5). The label must identify the content and amount
of radionuclide in curies or becquerels. The package must contain shipping
Transportation of Radioactive Materials 293Fig. 16.3. The three types of U.S. Department of Transportation labels required for
transportation of radioactive materials.