The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission radiation protection policy and opportunities for the future.

For nearly 50 years, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been responsible for the development of radiation protection regulations and guidance for protecting workers, the public and the environment. In 1971, although ALARA was not a regulatory requirement, NRC's predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, incorporated the concept of 'as low as is practically achievable' into its general provisions for standards against radiation, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 20. In 1975, the NRC codified the phrase 'as low as is reasonably achievable' (ALARA) and the definition of ALARA was broadly consistent with today's definition.

A review of the history of U.S. radiation protection regulations, recommendations, and standards.

Shortly after the discovery of x rays by Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen in 1895, and the isolation of the element radium by Pierre and Marie Curie three years later, the fascination with and potential for an array of uses of ionizing radiation in medicine, science, and technology was born. As with any new technology, there was a need to balance both the beneficial and potential detrimental effects of uses of these new technologies for the advancement of humankind. In the early days, radiation hazards were not well understood.

A review of the history of U.S. radiation protection regulations, recommendations, and standards.

Shortly after the discovery of x rays by Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen in 1895, and the isolation of the element radium by Pierre and Marie Curie three years later, the fascination with and potential for an array of uses of ionizing radiation in medicine, science, and technology was born. As with any new technology, there was a need to balance both the beneficial and potential detrimental effects of uses of these new technologies for the advancement of humankind. In the early days, radiation hazards were not well understood.

Dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls in industrial transformer oil by radiolytic and photolytic methods.

Used electrical transformer oils containing low or high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were treated using electron, gamma, and ultraviolet radiation, and the conditions for complete dechlorination were developed. Dechlorination was determined by analysis of the inorganic chloride formed and the concentrations of remaining PCBs. Transformer oil containing approximately 95 microg g(-1) PCB (approximately 3.