Answer to Question #5926 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Consumer Products — Smoke Detectors

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Help! I recently did a stupid thing. For a joke I stuck my tongue onto a 9-volt battery to get an electric shock. The battery was pretty flat and had been used inside a smoke detector containing americium. The battery had been inside the detector for some time. I'm worried it may have absorbed the radiation and I may have exposed myself to the radiation. Is it possible I may have exposed myself to this? How can I check to see if the battery had absorbed any radiation?

There is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Smoke detectors contain ²⁴¹Am, a radioactive isotope of americium, but it is tightly bonded to a substrate and sealed inside a small container within the smoke detector. Your battery is fine—just worn out. If you have not already done so, install a new battery inside your smoke detector and test it to be sure it is working properly so that you will not be without the protection provided by a smoke detector.

Ron Kathren, CHP

Answer posted on October 27, 2006. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.