§ 71.75 Qualification of special form radioactive material. ( a ) Special form radioactive materials must meet the test requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. Each solid radioactive material or capsule specimen to be tested must be manufactured or fabricated so that it is representative of the actual solid material or capsule that will be transported, with the proposed radioactive content duplicated as closely as practicable. Any differences between the material to be transported and the test material, such as the use of non-radioactive contents, must be taken into account in determining whether the test requirements have been met. In addition: ( 1 ) A different specimen may be used for each of the tests;
( 2 ) The specimen may not break or shatter when subjected to the impact, percussion, or bending tests;
( 3 ) The specimen may not melt or disperse when subjected to the heat test;
( 4 ) After each test, leaktightness or indispersibility of the specimen must be determined by a method no less sensitive than the leaching assessment procedure prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section. For a capsule resistant to corrosion by water, and which has an internal void volume greater than 0.1 milliliter, an alternative to the leaching assessment is a demonstration of leaktightness of × 10−4 torr-liter/s (1.3 × × 10−4 atm-cm3/s) based on air at 25 °C (77 °F) and one atmosphere differential pressure for solid radioactive content, or × 10−6 torr-liter/s (1.3 × × 10−6 atm−cm3/s) for liquid or gaseous radioactive content; and
( 5 ) A specimen that comprises or simulates radioactive material contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to the leaktightness procedure specified in this section, provided it is alternatively subjected to any of the tests prescribed in ISO 9978:1992(E), “Radiation protection—Sealed radioactive sources—Leakage test methods” (incorporated by reference, see § 71.70).
( b ) *Test methods* — ( 1 ) *Impact Test.* The specimen must fall onto the target from a height of 9 m (30 ft) or greater in the orientation expected to result in maximum damage. The target must be a flat, horizontal surface of such mass and rigidity that any increase in its resistance to displacement or deformation, on impact by the specimen, would not significantly increase the damage to the specimen.
( 2 ) *Percussion Test.* ( i ) The specimen must be placed on a sheet of lead that is supported by a smooth solid surface, and struck by the flat face of a steel billet so as to produce an impact equivalent to that resulting from a free drop of 1.4 kg (3 lbs) through 1 m (40 in);
( ii ) The flat face of the billet must be 25 millimeters (mm) (1 inch) in diameter with the edge rounded off to a radius of 3 mm ±0.3 mm (0.12 in ±0.012 in);
( iii ) The lead must be hardness number 3.5 to 4.5 on the Vickers scale and not more than 25 mm (1 inch) thick, and must cover an area greater than that covered by the specimen;
( iv ) A fresh surface of lead must be used for each impact; and
( v ) The billet must strike the specimen so as to cause maximum damage.
( 3 ) *Bending test.* ( i ) This test applies only to long, slender sources with a length of 10 cm (4 inches) or greater and a length to width ratio of 10 or greater;
( ii ) The specimen must be rigidly clamped in a horizontal position so that one half of its length protrudes from the face of the clamp;
( iii ) The orientation of the specimen must be such that the specimen will suffer maximum damage when its free end is struck by the flat face of a steel billet;
( iv ) The billet must strike the specimen so as to produce an impact equivalent to that resulting from a free vertical drop of 1.4 kg (3 lbs) through 1 m (40 in); and
( v ) The flat face of the billet must be 25 mm (1 inch) in diameter with the edges rounded off to a radius of 3 mm ±0.3 mm (.12 in ±0.012 in).
( 4 ) *Heat test.* The specimen must be heated in air to a temperature of not less than 800 °C (1475 °F), held at that temperature for a period of 10 minutes, and then allowed to cool.
( c ) *Leaching assessment methods.* ( 1 ) For indispersible solid material— ( i ) The specimen must be immersed for 7 days in water at ambient temperature. The water must have a pH of 6-8 and a maximum conductivity of 10 micromho per centimeter at 20° (68 °F);
( ii ) The water with specimen must then be heated to a temperature of 50 °C ±5 °C (122 °F ±9 °F) and maintained at this temperature for 4 hours.
( iii ) The activity of the water must then be determined;
( iv ) The specimen must then be stored for at least 7 days in still air of relative humidity not less than 90 percent at 30 °C (86 °F);
( v ) The specimen must then be immersed in water under the same conditions as in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, and the water with specimen must be heated to 50 °C ±5 °C (122 °F ±9 °F) and maintained at that temperature for 4 hours;
( vi ) The activity of the water must then be determined. The sum of the activities determined here and in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section must not exceed 2 kilobecquerels (kBq) (0.05 microcurie (μCi)).
( 2 ) For encapsulated material— ( i ) The specimen must be immersed in water at ambient temperature. The water must have a pH of 6-8 and a maximum conductivity of 10 micromho per centimeter;
( ii ) The water and specimen must be heated to a temperature of 50 °C ±5 °C (122 °F ±9 °F) and maintained at this temperature for 4 hours;
( iii ) The activity of the water must then be determined;
( iv ) The specimen must then be stored for at least 7 days in still air at a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) or greater;
( v ) The process in paragraph (c)(2)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section must be repeated; and
( vi ) The activity of the water must then be determined. The sum of the activities determined here and in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section must not exceed 2 kilobecquerels (kBq) (0.05 microcurie (μCi)).
( d ) A specimen that comprises or simulates radioactive material contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to— ( 1 ) The impact test and the percussion test of this section, provided that the specimen is: ( i ) Less than 200 grams and alternatively subjected to the Class 4 impact test prescribed in ISO 2919:1999(E), “Radiation protection—Sealed radioactive sources—General requirements and classification” (incorporated by reference, see § 71.70); or
( ii ) Less than 500 grams and alternatively subjected to the Class 5 impact test prescribed in ISO 2919:1999(E), “Radioactive protection—Sealed radioactive sources—General requirements and classification” (incorporated by reference, see § 71.70); and
( 2 ) The heat test of this section, provided the specimen is alternatively subjected to the Class 6 temperature test specified in ISO 2919:1999(E), “Radioactive protection—Sealed radioactive sources—General requirements and classification” (incorporated by reference, see § 71.70).
[60 FR 50264, Sept. 28, 1995, as amended at 80 FR 34013, June 12, 2015]