A blast from the past

In the past, people actively sought out radioactive material in the environment to use in commercial products.

A lot of interest was sparked in the potential uses of radioactive elements following the term ‘radioactivity’ being coined by Marie Curie in the late 19th century¹. Radium was of particular interest after it was discovered by Marie Curie in 1898 and found to be naturally occurring in mineral springs². It added a novelty to the curative properties of hot springs and mineral water already perceived at the time². Furthermore, it was also believed that exposure to small amounts of radiation could stimulate healing and certain biological processes in the body².

A radium bonanza

As a result, in the 1920s, many products started to become commercially available that claimed to offer the same benefits as going out and visiting a hot spring². Radium water jars with uranium ore in their lining were designed to infuse drinking water with radon, a decay product of radium³. Other radium-based products with various proclaimed health and beauty benefits were also purchasable, such as toothpaste, cigarette holders, ointments, compresses, makeup, soap, applicators for medical use, bread, bath salts, face cream and more⁴. Many of the products were genuinely radium-based, whilst others had other radioactive elements, sources too low to be detectable or none at all⁴.

‘Radithor’ is a notable example of many of the radioactive quackary cures that also appeared, with quack cures being ‘medicinal’ products claiming to cure many ailments but instead have no or negative effects on human health, sometimes even leading to death. Radithor contained 2 micro curies of radium per bottle, and was said to cure 160 conditions, including diabetes, epilepsy, kidney disease, rheumatism and neuralgia, to name a few⁴. The manufacturer, Bailey Radium Laboratories, also stated ‘Radiothor is harmless in every respect’⁵. This was far from the case when Eben Byers, who drank three bottles a day, died from radium poisoning in April 1932⁶.

The use of products with radium gradually began to be phased out once the risks were realised⁴. Although they are no longer manufactured, antique objects containing radium can be found in antique stores, private collections and museums⁴.

Gone green

Additionally, other antiques from the past may contain radioactive elements other than radium. Certain radioactive elements were also selected to be used in manufacturing due to their visual properties. For example, uranium was first used to colour glass in the 1830s⁷. The uranium gives the glass a yellow-green tint, and glows bright green under a black light⁸. Other ceramics made until the 1970s also likely had glazes coloured by radionuclides⁸. Furthermore, radium or tritium was also used in the dials of watches, and clocks, allowing them to glow in the dark without the use of a battery⁸.

It is recommended to have radioactive antiques in modern collections properly surveyed⁹ to understand the specific health risks of the item and what’s the best course of action for handling, storage and disposal.

By classifying the radioisotopes present, along with dose and count rate with surveying instruments such as Kromek’s RayMon and Probes, the appropriate action can be taken to manage the radioactive material. Highly sensitive detectors such as the NaI Probes ensure even low activity sources aren’t missed.

Although these radioactive antiques are not typically a health risk if in good condition, it is important to not take them apart or use them for food or drink⁸. To dispose of any broken radioactive antiques in the correct manner, contact local or national radiation control authorities for advice⁸. The appropriate contacts for the UK can be found here: Regulatory controls for radiation protection in the UK – GOV.UK.