Retrospective dosimetry using fingernail in nuclear industries: A review paper

Authors

Abstract

Generally, doses greater than 2Gy can produce acute biological effects in humans. For this reason, to measure and record the cumulative dose, especially in radiation users, the need for a personal dosimeter has been strongly felt by the researchers. The purpose of this study is to introduce retrospective dosimetric techniques, in particular the use of nails as a natural tool for determining cumulative absorbed dose in the body. The traditional methods of dosimetry are based on the effects of radiation on inorganic materials. Contrary to conventional methods, organic compounds are also used for dosimetry, which the effect of radiation on them is creation of free radical. EPR spectroscopy is used to determine the concentration of these radicals. So far, various solids such as sugars, polymers, quartz and bone have been used for a wide range of absorbed doses (10-108 Gy). In order to develop measurable lower doses (1-5 Gy), materials that are more sensitive to radiation are required. EPR spectroscopy is usually performed in the X-band region at a frequency of 9.5 GHz. The sugar dose-response curve for gamma radiation is linear in the range of 0.5-100 Gy. The dose-response curve for most plastics is nonlinear with low stability of EPR signal. The flax which composed of a polysaccharide chain has a linear dose-response curve in 10-104 Gy, but it is not easy to interpret the EPR signal because of the presence of detergent in it. The intensity of the EPR signal of wool is weak and the recombination of its radical occurs rapidly. Tooth enamel is a good tissue for EPR dosimetry and its dose-response curve is within the range of 0.02-0.2 Gy. The detection limit for the bone is also about a few kGy and not precise at low doses. The background signal in hair is high and its signal stability is low. Also, the EPR signal of fingernail is stable for at least a few days. Generally, materials used in EPR dosimetry should have features such as, being everywhere, non-invasive sampling, signal stability, and accurate and fast dose evaluation. Due to having all of these features compared to other materials, the fingernail is very much considered in the EPR dosimetry method.
 

Keywords

References

[1] A. Romanyukha, F. Trompier, B. LeBlanc, C. Calas, I. Clairand, C.A. Mitchell, J.G. Smirniotopoulos and H.M. Swartz. EPR dosimetry in chemically treated fingernails, Radiation measurements, 42(4-6) (2007) 1110–1113. [2] B.G. Dalgarno and J.D. McClymont. Evaluation of ESR as a radiation accident dosimetry technique, International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation. Part A. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 40(10-12) (1989) 1013–1020. [3] M. Symons, H. Chandra and J. Wyatt. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of irradiated finger-nails: a possible measure of accidental exposure, Radiation protection dosimetry, 58(1) (1995) 11–15. [4] F. Trompier, L. Kornak, C. Calas, A. Romanyukha, B. LeBlanc, C. Mitchell, H. Swartz and I. Clairand. Protocol for emergency EPR dosimetry in fingernails, Radiation measurements, 42(6-7) (2007) 1085–1088. [5] K. Wu, C. Sun and Y. Shi. Dosimetric properties of watch glass: a potential practical ESR dosemeter for nuclear accidents, Radiation protection dosimetry, 59(3) (1995) 223–225. [6] S. Egersdörfer, A. Wieser and A. Müller. Tooth enamel as a detector material for retrospective EPR dosimetry, Applied radiation and isotopes, 47(11-12) (1996) 1299–1303. [7] F. Ziaie, W. Stachowicz, G. Strzelczak and S. Al-Osaimi. Using bone powder for dosimetric system EPR response under the action of γ irradiation, Nukleonika, 44(4) (1999) 603–608. [8] M. Miyake, K.J. Liu, T.M. Walczak and H.M. Swartz. In vivo EPR dosimetry of accidental exposures to radiation: experimental results indicating the feasibility of practical use in human subjects, Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 52(5) (2000) 1031–1038. [9] H. Wang, R. Liu, T. Tu, L. Xie, K. Sheng, Y. Chen and X. Tang. Properties of radicals formed by the irradiation of wool fibers, Journal of radiation research, 45(1) (2004) 77–81. [10] A. Güttler and A. Wieser. EPR-dosimetry with tooth enamel for low doses, Radiation Measurements, 43(2-6) (2008) 819–822. [11] H. Lanjanian, F. Ziaie, M. Modarresi, M. Nikzad, A. Shahvar and S. Durrani. A technique to measure the absorbed dose in human tooth enamel using EPR method, Radiation Measurements, 43(1) (2008) S648–S650. [12] M.I. Teixeira, Z.M. Da Costa, C.R. Da Costa, W.M. Pontuschka and L.V. Caldas. Study of the gamma radiation response of watch glasses, Radiation Measurements, 43(2-6) (2008) 480–482. [13] C. Bassinet, F. Trompier and I. Clairand. Radiation accident dosimetry on glass by TL and EPR spectrometry, Health physics, 98(2) (2010) 400–405. [14] A. Kinoshita, F.A. José and O. Baffa. An attempt to use sweeteners as a material for accident dosimetry, Health physics, 98(2) (2010) 406–411. [15] F. Trompier, C. Bassinet and I. Clairand. Radiation accident dosimetry on plastics by EPR spectrometry, Health physics, 98(2) (2010) 388–394. [16] F. Trompier, C. Bassinet, S. Della Monaca, A. Romanyukha, R. Reyes and I. Clairand. Overview of physical and biophysical techniques for accident dosimetry, Radiation protection dosimetry, 144(1-4) (2010) 571–574. [17] Ş. Çolak and T. Özbey. An ESR study on biological dosimeters: Human hair, Radiation Measurements, 46(5) (2011) 465–472. [18] D. Viscomi, C. De Angelis and P. Fattibene. Cotton as fortuitous dosimeter in radiological emergency: An EPR preliminary study, Radiation Measurements, 46(9) (2011) 978–983. [20] R.A. Reyes, A. Romanyukha, F. Trompier, C.A. Mitchell, I. Clairand, T. De, L.A. Benevides and H.M. Swartz. Electron paramagnetic resonance in human fingernails: the sponge model implication, Radiation and environmental biophysics, 47(4) (2008) 515–526. [21] F. Trompier, A. Romanyukha, L. Kornak, C. Calas, B. LeBlanc, C. Mitchell, H. Swartz and I. Clairand. Electron paramagnetic resonance radiation dosimetry in fingernails, Radiation Measurements, 44(1) (2009) 6–10. [22] R.A. Reyes, A. Romanyukha, C. Olsen, F. Trompier and L.A. Benevides. Electron paramagnetic resonance in irradiated fingernails: variability of dose dependence and possibilities of initial dose assessment, Radiation and environmental biophysics, 48(3) (2009) 295–310. [23] H. Chandra and M.C. Symons. Sulphur radicals formed by cutting α-keratin, Nature, 328 (1987) 833–834. [24] A. Marciniak and B. Ciesielski. EPR dosimetry in nails—A review, Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 51(1) (2016) 73–92. [25] K. Wu, L. Guo, J. Cong, C. Sun, J. Hu, Z. Zhou, S. Wang, Y. Zhang, X. Zhang and Y. Shi. Researches and applications of ESR dosimetry for radiation accident dose assessment, Radiation protection dosimetry, 77(1-2) (1998) 65–67. [26] C. Huet, I. Clairand, F. Trompier, J. Bottollier-Depois and E. Bey. Monte Carlo dose reconstruction in case of a radiological accident: application to the accident in Chile in December 2005, Radioprotection, 42(4) (2007) 489–500. [27] C. Huet, F. Trompier, I. Clairand, F. Queinnec and J. Bottollier-Depois. Physical dosimetric reconstruction of a radiological accident at Fleurus (Belgium) on 11 March 2006, Radiation Measurements, 43(2-6) (2008) 845–848.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics