Originally Posted by
100LL
Not really sure where this should go but I was wondering about old flight instruments that used a radium based paint to help those old instruments glow in the dark. Clearly anyone can get one from say ebay in almost any price range. Just how serious is it to actually own one of those concerning exposure to radioactive decay. What if it's broken or taken apart? Or were these instruments required at one point to be decontaminated after the signs of possible health risks?
You understand that "radioactive decay" means that the radioactivity diminishes, right?
Unless you plan to remove the paint and eat it, the health risks are nonexistent. If you do plan to remove the paint and eat it, the health risks are negligible.
I don't recommend eating the aircraft instruments.