Physical Dosimeters Research Articles

CaF2 :Dy and CaF2 crystal-based UV dosimeters.

Monitoring of ultraviolet (UV) exposure in humans is important, since UV has been implicated in the pathogenesis of skin cancer, skin ageing and immunosuppression. Biological and physical dosimeters are being developed to measure occupational and environmental UV radiation exposure. We studied the UV-dependent thermoluminescence in CaF2 :Dy and CaF2 crystals and report on the development of a small personal UV dosimeter based on the thermoluminescent phenomenon. CaF2 :Dy or CaF2 was sensitized to UV by heating for 1-3 h to 750-950(o) C on different supports (porcelain, steel, preheated steel, silicon, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, Fe2 O3 , Fe3 O4 ). Sensitized crystals were irradiated with UV of different energies and wavelengths. Thermoluminescence of irradiated crystals was measured at different temperatures. Maximal sensitivity of the crystals to UV was obtained after preheating to 900(o) C on steel and manganese supports. Sensitivity could be improved further by prolonging heating time. CaF2 :Dy and CaF2 were most sensitive to short-wave UVC and UVB radiation. Based on these findings we have constructed personal UVB and UVC dosimeters. Development of personal UVC and UVB dosimeters based on UV-induced thermoluminescence in CaF2 :Dy and CaF2 crystals is feasible. CaF2 :Dy and CaF2 crystals are not sensitive enough to long-wave UV radiation to be used for construction of UVA dosimeters.

DNA as a solar dosimeter in the ocean.

Stratospheric ozone depletion may result in increased solar UV-B radiation to the ocean's upper layers and may cause deleterious effects on marine organisms. The primary UV-B damage induced in biological systems is to DNA. While physical measurements of solar UV-B penetration into the sea have been made, the effective depth and magnitude of actual DNA damage have not been determined. In the experiments reported here, UV-B-induced photoproducts (cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers) have been quantified in DNA molecules exposed to solar UV at the surface and at various depths in clear, tropical marine waters off Lee Stocking Island (23 degrees 45' N, 76 degrees 0.7' W), Exuma Cays, Bahamas. (14C)thymidine-labeled DNA or unlabeled bacteriophage phi X174 DNA was placed in specially designed quartz tubes at various depths for up to five days. Following exposure, DNA samples were removed to the laboratory where UV-B-induced pyrimidine dimers were quantified using a radiochromatographic assay, and bacteriophage DNA inactivation by solar UV-B was assayed by plaque formation in spheroplasts of Escherichia coli. Pyrimidine dimer induction was linear with time but the accumulation of dimers in DNA with time varied greatly with depth. Attenuation of dimer formation with depth of water was exponential. DNA at 3 m depth had only 17% of the pyrimidine dimers found at the surface. Bacteriophage phi X174 DNA, while reduced 96% in plaque-forming ability by a one day exposure to solar UV at the surface of the water, showed no effect on plaque formation after a similar exposure at 3 m. The data collected at the water's surface showed a "surface-enhanced dose" in that DNA damages at the real surface were greater than at the imaginary surface, which was obtained by extrapolating the data at depth to the surface. These results show the sensitivity of both the biochemical (dimers) and biological (phage plaques) DNA dosimeters. DNA dosimeters offer a sensitive, convenient and relatively inexpensive monitoring system, having both biochemical and biological endpoints for monitoring the biologically effective UV-B flux in the marine environment. Unlike physical dosimeters, DNA dosimeters do not have to be adjusted for biological effectiveness since they are sensitive only to DNA-mediated biologically effective UV-B radiation. Results of pyrimidine dimer induction in DNA by solar UV accurately predicted UV doses to the phage DNA.

Biological and physical dosimeters for monitoring solar UV-B light.

A biological dosimetry system for measuring solar UV-B light was established using bacteriophage T1 with E. coli Bs-1 as the host cell. Also a new physical UV-B dosimeter was developed which can specifically detect the UV spectral region related to inactivation of phage T1. Phage T1 is very stable in liquid suspension and it has adequate sensitivity to measure the intensity of solar UV-B. In addition, the survival of phage T1 responded linearly to UV fluences when plotted semi-logarithmic ally. Thus T1 seemed to have characteristic features making it suitable material as a biological dosimeter for sunlight. Outdoor experiments throughout one year showed that the mean amount of solar UV light in summer was about 6 fold larger than that in winter at Isehara (139.5 degrees E, 35.5 degrees N), Japan. A novel physical dosimeter which responds faithfully to UV-B light under atmospheric conditions on the ground was developed as well. The spectral response was very close to that of biological materials. Readings of this UV-B dosimeter could be converted into the efficiency of sunlight upon biological materials. This instrument is compact; it can also be used as an erythemal dosimeter.

Radiation dosimetry for commissioning Egypt's “mega-gamma I” facility for radiation processing

The use of ionizing radiation for sterilization of medical products and biological tissues has become an alternative to autoclaving or gas treatment by ethylene oxide. Moreover, large radiation facilities are now increasing for processing many industrial products, such as rubber, textiles, plastics, coatings, films, wire and cable. For quality control of irradiated products released to the public, greater consideration is now being given to the use of physical radiation dosimetry, since it is simple, reliable, and reproducible. The present work describes dosimetry for the new 60Co irradiation plant, located at the National Center for Radiation Research and Technology of Egypt. Detailed measurements of absorbed dose extremes in product boxes processed in the plant were made using commercially supplied dyed plastic dosimeters (Red Acrylic and Red Perspex). These physical dosimeters were calibrated against the yield of cerous ion due to γ-ray irradiation of ceric sulphate solution as a standard chemical dosimeter.