Emergency EPR dosimetry technique using vacuum-stored dry nails. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sholom, S.; McKeever, S.W.S.
• Is Part Of: Radiation measurements. Volume 88(2016:May)
• Page Start: 41
• Page End: 47
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: EPR -- Nails -- Emergency dosimetry -- Triage -- Vacuum storage -- Dose response; Nuclear emulsions -- Periodicals; Particle tracks (Nuclear physics) -- Periodicals; Thermoluminescence -- Periodicals; Cosmic rays -- Periodicals; Radiation -- Measurement -- Periodicals; Radiometry -- Periodicals; Radiation Monitoring -- Periodicals; Émulsions nucléaires -- Périodiques; Particules (Physique nucléaire) -- Traces -- Périodiques; Thermoluminescence -- Périodiques; Rayonnement cosmique -- Périodiques; Radiométrie -- Périodiques; 539.77
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.02.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4487

Abstract

Abstract: Human finger- and toenails have been tested with an X-band EPR technique for different conditions of nail storage. The main radiation-induced signal at g = 2.005 demonstrated good stability if the samples were stored in a vacuum at room temperature after nail harvesting and irradiation. On the basis of this phenomenon, a new protocol is proposed to use the nails as possible emergency EPR dosimeters. The dosimetry protocol was tested on laboratory-exposed samples and demonstrated the ability to recover doses in the region 0–10 Gy with an estimated uncertainty of approximately 0.3–0.4 Gy for doses in the range <2 Gy, increasing to 0.6–0.7 Gy for doses in the range 5–10 Gy. Highlights: A dry storage technique for EPR dosimetry of finger- and toenails is introduced. The main EPR signals from nails are isolated and their stability is determined. Uncertainties are of the order of ∼0.5 Gy for the dose range 0–10 Gy.