 | Smoke Detectors - Contain an Alpha and Beta ray producing radioactive isotope of the element Americium
that senses smoke. This is sealed, though, and may not give you any
reading. |
| Lantern Mantels - Some of the mantels in camping lanterns, especially
those from earlier years, are made of the radioactive element Thorium.
Be careful not to inhale the mantle ash! |
| Watches - Some old watches and clocks, even gyroscopes, have dials painted
in radium to make them glow in the dark. Radium emits Alpha and Gamma
rays. More recently, Tritium, a
radioactive isotope of Hydrogen, has been used to paint the dials, but it is
too weak to penetrate the watch lens. |
| Camera Lenses - It has been reported that certain old Leica camera
lenses colored yellow owe their hue to the presence of the radioactive
element, Thorium. |
| Jewelry - Certain gems are irradiated by the radioactive element Radium,
X-rays, or other particles to produce a color change. This can make the gem
itself radioactive which can last for years in some
cases. Also, cloisonné, an enameled variety of jewelry, is glazed with
Uranium oxide. |
| Rocks and Minerals - Minerals such as uraninite and its pitchblende
variety, also carnotite and thorianite, contain the radioactive elements
Uranium and/or Thorium. |
| Pottery - Some older pottery such as the Fiesta Ware brand often found in
antique stores is glazed with Uranium oxide. When broken, the dust can
emit Alpha particles of radiation. |
| Furniture - More recently, certain metal objects in the home are reported
to be partly made of spent radioactive material. |
