UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONTAINS LOW LEVEL SPILL

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - At approximately 7:30 last night, a spill of radioactive liquid was discovered by a graduate student in a research laboratory in the Altheimer Research Laboratory building located at the agricultural experiment station on North Garland. The spill was quickly contained and the area is being decontaminated.

University of Arkansas Office of Environmental Health and Safety is cleaning up the spill and indicates that there is no risk to public health.

"The spill is being appropriately cleaned up and should be no cause for alarm," said Miriam Lonon, manager of environmental health and safety.

The spill consisted of about a gallon and a half of biodegradable liquid containing small amounts of the isotope carbon 14, which is used as a radioactive label for tracking substances through biological systems, in this instance in plants. The amount of the isotope measured only in the millionths of a curie, the unit used for measuring radioactivity.

The plastic container apparently developed a leak.  University of Arkansas Police were the first on the scene. Because the nature of the spill was not immediately known, a laboratorian requested that the Fayetteville Hazmat Team be called to the scene.  When responding to spills of unknown materials, it is standard Hazmat procedure to evacuation the building.  However, after conferring with laboratory personnel and Environmental Health and Safety, it was determined that there was no immediate danger to life or health.  The spill was contained and the area secured pending cleanup. 

Today, the spill is being cleaned up with absorbent materials and special detergents.  Clean-up efforts will be monitored by swiping the area and counting the radioactivity.  Successful clean-up will be achieved when radioactivity on the swipes are equal to background levels.