Which type of contamination cannot easily come off or be transferred and can only become loose first?

Which type of contamination cannot easily come off or be transferred and can only become loose first?

• A. Fixed Contamination
• B. Loose Contamination
• C. Discrete Radioactive Particle
• D. Personal Contamination Monitor

Answer: (A)

Fixed contamination is contamination that is tightly bound to a surface, so it does not come off easily and isn’t readily transferable through normal contact. It will only become removable, or loose, if a deliberate decontamination step occurs—such as cleaning, scrubbing, or abrasion. Once it’s loosened, it can behave like loose contamination and be more easily transferred to hands, clothing, or other surfaces. In contrast, loose contamination sits on surfaces more loosely and can be wiped away or spread with simple contact. A discrete radioactive particle refers to a single particle, which may be fixed or loose depending on how it’s attached, and a personal contamination monitor is a device used to detect contamination rather than a type of contamination.

Fixed contamination is contamination that is tightly bound to a surface, so it does not come off easily and isn’t readily transferable through normal contact. It will only become removable, or loose, if a deliberate decontamination step occurs—such as cleaning, scrubbing, or abrasion. Once it’s loosened, it can behave like loose contamination and be more easily transferred to hands, clothing, or other surfaces. In contrast, loose contamination sits on surfaces more loosely and can be wiped away or spread with simple contact. A discrete radioactive particle refers to a single particle, which may be fixed or loose depending on how it’s attached, and a personal contamination monitor is a device used to detect contamination rather than a type of contamination.