medicine. Both radioisotopes are valu able to research workers and physicians for biological studies, medical research, and diagnosis. (Iodine-131 is also used for medical therapy. ) AEC cut the price for carbon-14 from $ 3 6 to $28 per millicurie (ship -νΙ ments less than 200 millicuries) and re *% •· duced larger quantities from $32 to $22. Iodine-131 now costs 50 cents industrial users increase fivefold in five years — s a v per millicurie (shipments less than 500 millicuries), compared with a previous ings to industry m a y r e a c h $1 billion a y e a r price of 75 cents. As before, purchas ers receive a 10-cent discount on larger M ORE THAN 1000 industrial organiza strumentation, and the metal working lots. Civilians first began receiving car tions in the United States are now using industry running close behind. atomic energy by-product materials in More than 400 organizations who bon-14 when the isotope distribution 1347 different installations, a 500% in manufacture a wide variety of con program began on Aug. 2 , 1946. In crease since 1950. It's a big money- sumer products are using radioactive the decade that followed, AEC made saving proposition. Current applica materials for gaging and control opera over 2200 shipments, totaling more tions, according to AEC estimates, save tions. These products include roofing than 42,000 millicuries, to medical in industry $200 million annually. and flooring materials, paper, steel, tex stitutions, colleges and universities, and For things to come, AEC is predict tiles, rubber, plastics, glass, and ciga industrial firms throughout the nation. Carbon-14 has been widely used in ing this figure will multiply fivefold rettes. Some 350 firms employ nuclear by-product materials in radiation in studies of photosynthesis and complex within a decade—$1 billion a year. Where do these isotopes go? Re spection of welds and castings and in biological systems. It has proved valu able also in medical research by reveal search, development and testing or other metal working operations. • Price Went Down. Immediately ing the mechanism of human body ganizations, according to a survey by Atomic Industrial Forum, account for following announcement of the Forum functions. Iodine-131 is now used routinely in the largest number of consuming or survey, AEC came out with a price re ganizations, with manufacturers of elec duction for carbon-14 and iodine-131, about 1300 medical institutions for di trical equipment, electronics and in used widely in the fields of biology and agnosis and treatment of thyroid gland diseases. Civilian consumption has been phenomenal—nearly 3.5 million millicuries in more than 30,000 ship ments. AEC officials estimate that almost 500,000 people in the United States have been treated with radioisotopes supplied by Oak Ridge National Lab oratory, which is operated for the Com mission by Union Carbide Nuclear.
Γ
INDUSTRY
Kaaioisoropês ι α κ β on n e w M^criviry
$20 Million More in South Wyandotte woos chlorine» caustic market with Louisiana plant-—its second there THE SECOND MAJOR phase of Wyan
Radiation Effects Radiographic Inspection
Gaging
(other)
(thickness)
"-:" ^ L·. ' . . Number of Organizations * _. j r - ,
50
100
150
200
,
250
(Single organizations employing radioisotopes in more than one of the listed applications are represented by multiple numbers)
4484
C&EN
SEPT.
17, 1 9 5 6
300
350
400
dotte's expansion into the South is being talked about almost as soon as the first phase i s started. Newest plans call for a $ 2 0 million electrolytic chlo rine-caustic plant to go on stream in the last half of 1958. The plant will pro duce 300 tons of chlorine and 330 tons of caustic soda a day. Wyandotte is already one of the na tion's largest suppliers of caustic soda and chlorine from its operations in Michigan. By increasing its capacity more than 50%, Wyandotte can con tinue to meet the growing demand for those products at the same time ex panding its own captive use. The new unit will be constructed ad jacent to the company's 60 million pound ethylene oxide plant on the 1200-acre site acquired a few months
