RETROSPECTIVE DOSE RECONSTRUCTION WITH MOBILE PHONES AND CHIP CARDS

Retrospective OSL Dosimetry With Common Pharmaceuticals and Food Supplements

Several common pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin, oral contraceptives, drugs for the prevention of motion sickness and food supplements such as table vitamins and minerals have been studied for the purposes of retrospective dosimetry using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The essence is that the tablets with these drug substances contain additive crystalline materials which, after irradiation and stimulation, may exhibit luminescence. For most of the pharmaceuticals and food supplements, a radiation-induced dose-dependent OSL signal was detected. Subsequently, basic dosimetric characteristics of the materials were studied, specifically sensitivity changes during repeated OSL readings, dose response, zero-dose, minimum detectable dose (MDD) and fading. The most radiation sensitive materials were food supplements with Mg providing zero-dose and MDD values at the level of several mGy. For Mg supplements, considerable sensitivity changes in OSL signal were observed. Despite this, they could be corrected using a Single-Aliquot Regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol. The OSL signals of the other materials were relatively weak but they were well reproducible and exhibited linear dose response. The MDD values were variable among the materials and ranged from 0.1 to several Gy. However, for some of the pharmaceuticals, a very high and variable zero-dose of more than 3 Gy was observed that would rule out the possibility of dose reconstruction for triage purposes. The OSL signal exhibited a significant fading rate for most of the materials. The measurements for dose reconstruction should be performed as soon as possible after irradiation, i.e. within a maximum of a few days.

Retrospective physical dosimetry in the Czech Republic: an overview of already established methods and recent research

PURPOSE

The threat of serious radiation exposures to members of the public from radiological incidents and nuclear events has led to intensive study of a number of emergency dosimetry techniques for purposes of triage. As such, a national laboratory of retrospective dosimetry was established in our institute. The purpose of this work is to provide a summary of the well-established and already implemented retrospective physical dosimetry techniques based on thermoluminescence (TL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and neutron activation including their specifics. Moreover, we present some new results of the experimental work, in which we compared dosimetry potential of various dental repair materials and human teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

At first, an overview of already established retrospective physical retrospective methods including their main features was compiled. As regards recent research, an experimental comparative study was performed under defined conditions. The materials used were aliquots prepared from both pure and repaired teeth and aliquots of unused dental ceramics of known type. Following irradiation, we compared TL and OSL curves of the materials. We also compared dosimetry characteristics of OSL signal as reproducibility, dose dependence and fading.

RESULTS

After irradiation, the teeth aliquots of dental enamel and dentin exhibited very low OSL and TL signals compared with aliquots containing some dental repair materials or aliquots of pure dental ceramics. With a few exceptions, the OSL signal of dental enamel and dentin aliquots irradiated to 2 Gy was hardly distinguishable from OSL signal corresponding to unirradiated aliquots. In contrast, aliquots of teeth containing some dental repair material and aliquots of pure dental ceramics provided a well reproducible OSL signal exhibiting linear dose response. All the materials tested exhibited a significant fading of the OSL signal. The loss of OSL signal during the first 24 hours after irradiation was from 20 to 99% of its original value obtained immediately after the irradiation.

CONCLUSIONS

The already established physical methods of retrospective dosimetry use a spectrum of verified materials and techniques for dose assessment in the aftermath of serious radiological incidents and nuclear events. In the comparative study, we found that the dosimetry potential of teeth in natural state is much worse compared to teeth repaired with dental ceramics or dental cement fillings. Teeth restored with dental repair materials exhibited relatively favorable dosimetry characteristics. However, they can be usable for a dose reconstruction only on condition that the main practical problems connected with fading and optical bleaching were solved.

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE USE OF THERMOLUMINESCENCE AND OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE FROM MOBILE PHONES IN EMERGENCY DOSIMETRY

Proposed physical dosimetry methods for emergency dosimetry in radiological, mass-casualty incidents include both thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Potential materials that could feasibly be used for TL and OSL dosimetry include clothing, shoes and personal accessories. However, the most popular target of study has been personal electronics, especially different components from smartphones. Smartphones have been a focus because they are widely available and, in principle, may be viewed as surrogates for commercial TL or OSL dosimeters. The components of smartphones that have been studied include surface mount devices (such as resistors, capacitors and inductors) and glass materials, including front protective glass, display glass and (with more modern devices) back protective glass. This paper reviews the most recent developments in the use of TL and OSL with these materials and guides the way to future, and urgently needed, research.