High-sensitive colour indicator of absorbed dose of epithermal neutrons radiation

Abstract

In our study, the high-sensitivity colour indicator of the absorbed dose of radiation of epithermal neutrons with energy 0 to 10 keV for dosimetry of low-energy neutrons was developed. We had been developed an indicator on the basis of the dye solution of arsenazo III and gadopentetic acid, allowing precisely define of absorbed dose in the range 2 to 103 Gy. The properties of arsenazo III as metallic indicator, which changes colour after binding of free ions of metals, were used. Colour of the indicator solution before irradiation and after it is stable enough in time at storage in the dark, at artificial illumination or at scattered sunlight. The developed indicator, consisting of a solution of arsenazo III and gadopentetic acid, allows estimating the absorbed dose of epithermal neutron irradiation with good accuracy and reduces the error of measurement related to changing colour of dye under the influence of other factors (light, temperature etc.) Dosimeter is tissue-equivalent and possesses a high-sensitivity neutron radiation due to the content of gadolinium in solution, which has great neutron capture cross-section. The developed dosimeter persists spectrophotometric characteristics after irradiaion within few weeks that allows to use it for measurement of the absorbed dose, both in real time mode and with the delayed measurement within few weeks.