The following guidelines and requirements are put forth to aid the investigator in establishing safe procedures for use, handling, care and disposal of animals to which ionizing radiation in the form of radioactive materials, x-rays or gamma irradiation is applied or administered.

It is the responsibility of the Authorized User to make certain that all personnel involved understand and exercise the necessary safety precautions, handling procedures, clean up techniques, and waste disposal methods.

All procedures involving the use of animals must be approved by the appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Information required includes an outline of the procedure, the type, number and average weights of animals to be used, the locations where animals are to be housed, the method of disposal for the carcasses, bedding and associated wastes and special handling and disposal needs related to the presence of biological and/or chemical hazards. Additional information for irradiation includes the dose to be administered. For radioactive materials, a summary of each protocol must also be submitted to and approved by the Radiation Safety Office (Form RSO-AN1). The information submitted must include the isotope and activity to be used, the route of administration, and the location where material is to be administered.

If it is necessary for animals containing radioactive materials to be housed within any animal facility, written instructions and precautions for animal care personnel must be submitted to the DLAR. These procedures will be developed in conjunction with the Radiation Safety Office prior to the first experiment.

Administration or application of radioactive materials and all subsequent procedures (surgery, necropsy etc..) must be carried out in approved radiation work area.

Volatile and readily dispersible radioactive materials must be administered in a chemical fume hood or otherwise contained. Subsequent work with the animal may also be best handled within a fume hood.

Cages that house animals containing radioactive materials for longer than eight hours must bear a label containing the name of the radionuclide, the activity administered per animal, the date of administration, the name of the authorized user and a contact phone number in case of emergencies.

Where excretion of radioactive materials is known or suspected, bedding and excreta must be collected and processed as radioactive waste.

Liquid excreta, along with blood and other body fluids which meet the solubility criteria for sink disposal should be disposed of to the sanitary sewer at a designated radiation sink, in accordance with applicable limits. Any liquids not disposable in this manner must be absorbed or solidified prior to disposal as radioactive waste.

Animal carcasses and tissues containing radioactive materials must be handled and disposed as radioactive wastes unless a written waver has been issued by the Radiation Safety Office.

> Carcasses and tissues should be placed in a yellow radioactive waste bag with a completed radioactive waste tag attached and clearly identified as "animals" or "biowaste."

> Large animals should be packaged in as small a volume as possible and in such a manner that sharp edges, such as claws, are prevented from puncturing the bag

> The bags are to be maintained frozen and taken to the radioactive waste vaults or other locations approved by the Radiation Safety Office, during scheduled hours or by special arrangement.

Absorbent pads, and other wastes associated with the experiment, containing significant quantities of blood or other materials capable of generating an odor problem should be segregated, clearly labeled and refrigerated until disposal as radioactive waste.

All cages used to house radioactive materials must be decontaminated prior to being released to the animal facility.

WASTE MINIMIZATION:

Due to the cost of disposing of animal carcasses and wastes, every effort must be made to keep volumes as low as possible. The following minimization techniques are suggested.

> Use non-radioactive methodologies and/or short-lived isotopes (<60 days) wherever possible.

> When ¹⁴C and/or ³H are used, if possible, concentrations should be maintained less than 0.05 μCi/g body weight.

> Where it can be quantitatively demonstrated that radioactive materials are restricted to one region of the body which can subsequently be removed, an exemption may be obtained to permit disposal of the carcass as non-radioactive.

 

Each individual who uses a gamma irradiator must be trained on the operation of the unit. Documentation of training must be submitted to the Radiation Safety Office.

Irradiators located in animal facilities are subject to the restrictions of use imposed by DLAR. Typically, access is limited to animals which have been housed in that facility.

X-ray machines and clinical linear accelerators must be used under the supervision of trained machine operators. For equipment located in clinical areas, departmental permission is required.. There may be restrictions regarding time of access. Special procedures for transport and infection control may be required.

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