Aer Lingus has said it routinely carries radioactive consignments on its flights as a service to Irish hospitals engaged in cancer research. A suspected spillage of radioactive material on a flight from Paris to Dublin yesterday was examined by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. No leakage was found, according to Aer Lingus yesterday.
Aer Lingus crew suspected a spillage might have occurred after flight EI521 from Paris landed in Dublin. It was due to continue to Cork. Cork-bound passengers were taken to the terminal building while their baggage was checked by institute staff.
Aer Lingus said the Cork passengers were delayed for 2 1/2 hours while a replacement aircraft was being found. Their baggage was later flown to Cork and delivered to their homes.
In a statement, Aer Lingus said radioactive consignments were carried on a regular basis on airlines operating cargo services.
"Before they are accepted for carriage on Aer Lingus flights," the statement went on, "radioactive materials are firstly checked to ensure compliance with the regulations for carriage by air as laid down by the International Air Transport Association."
There was nothing unusual about the use of air transport for the radioactive material involved, according to a spokeswoman for the RPII. No radioactivity was released by the cargo, she said.
"The inspectors went out and satisfied themselves it was only damage to the outer packaging. The package fell to the ground and the outer packaging was damaged."
The cargo involved was a technetium generator, a device used to produce radioactivity for use in medical diagnostics. There are 20 Irish hospitals involved in this type of nuclear medicine, according to Mr David Fenton, manager of the RPII's regulatory service.
Each hospital would need at least one fresh technetium generator a week. Used generators, which remained radioactive for some weeks, were returned to the manufacturer for disposal.
The device is shipped in a special protective carton, about the size of an office waste-basket. The generator itself is the size of a two-litre mineral water bottle.
Pure water is introduced into the device where it picks up radioactive technetium 99M. This can then be injected into a patient and the radiation it gives off can provide images of internal organs.
The technetium is produced by another radioactive substance inside the generator core, molybdenum 99. Both substances give off strong radiation, but in both cases the material remains radioactive for a comparatively short time, according to the RPII.