Investigation of photon energy absorption properties for some biomolecules

Abstract

The mass energy absorption coefficient ( $$\mu _{\mathrm{en}}/\rho$$ ), effective atomic number ( $$Z_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ ), and electron density ( $$N_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ ) of some biomolecules with potential application in radiation dosimetry were calculated for their photon energy absorption (PEA) in the energy region of 1–20 MeV. It was noticed that the values of $$\mu _{\mathrm{en}}/\rho$$ , $$Z_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ , and $$N_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ vary with the energy and composition of the biomolecules. The results for $$Z_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ were compared with effective atomic numbers ( $$Z_{\mathrm{PI}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ ) owing to the photon interaction (PI). Significant differences were noted between $$Z_{\mathrm{PEA}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ and $$Z_{\mathrm{PI}_{\mathrm{eff}}}$$ in the energy region of 10–150 keV for all of the biomolecules involved. A maximum difference of 45.36% was observed at 50 keV for creatinine hydrochloride. Moreover, the studied attenuation parameters were found to be sharply affected at the K-absorption edge of relatively high-Z elements present in the biomolecules.