Detergent Powder: Investigation for Feasible Retrospective Dosimetry Using ESR Technique

Abstract

An Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) study of radiation induced free radicals in the commonly used detergent powder (Surf), was conducted to examine its potential application for retrospective/high level dosimetry, including possible dating of the accidents. The radical ions present in the irradiated detergent powder were identified as arising predominantly from sodium tri poly phosphate (Na3P5O10) and sodium sulphate (Na2SO4). The physical mixture of sodium tri poly phosphate and sodium sulphate in 4:1 ratio was found to give an ESR response, similar to that of the detergent powder. These results suggest that the detergent powder can be used as a dosimeter in the 20 Gy to 18 kGy dose range, spanning over 3 orders of magnitude. The second derivative ESR spectra of the detergent powder irradiated to different doses showed that the relative yield of the radicals is independent of irradiation dose. The decay pattern of radicals when followed as a function of post irradiation days, lead to the idea about the contrasting decay characteristics of the radicals. From the ESR signals of the irradiated detergent samples, it is shown that radiation dose can be evaluated and the radiation incident can be dated with an accuracy of ±10%.