METHOD, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR THE TEMPORARY MARKING OF OBJECTS

摘要

The invention concerns a method, a device and a system for applying a detectable temporary mark of predefined life time of minutes to hours onto an object (0). The invention also concerns a coating composition comprising a short-lived radioactive isotope and the use of a short-lived radioactive isotope as a temporary marking. The temporary mark is applied to the object (O) by the means of a coating composition (3) comprising a low level of a short-lived radionuclide, generated in situ from a longer-lived precursor nucleus. The marking device comprises a radionuclide generator (1), a reservoir (2) for the in situ preparing the radioactively marked printing ink, and an ink-jet or alike printing or spraying head (8), preferably of the dropon-demand type. The marking is preferably detected and identified by a gamma-radiation counter. The invention claims also a system for the temporary marking of an object (O) with a radioactive isotope of predefined life time of minutes to hours, in view of performing an operation on the marked object (O) at a later point in time.