Dosimetry Principles
Dosimetry Principles
DOSIMETRY PRINCIPLES,
DOSE MEASUREMENTS AND RADIATION
PROTECTION
Diana Adlienė1/, Rūta Adlytė2/
1/
Kaunas University of Technology, Physics Department, Studentų g. 50,
LT-51368 Kaunas, Lithuania
2/
Kaunas University of Technology, Accounting Department, Gedimino g. 50,
LT-44239 Kaunas, Lithuania
1. INTRODUCTION
2. DOSIMETRIC QUANTITIES
dN d
E (E) (E)
dA dE
Energy fluence, Ψ [J/m–2]
dE dN d d
E E E (E) (E) (E)E
dA dA dE dE
[m–2·s–1]
Particle fluence rate,
d
dt
[J/m2·s]
Energy fluence rate (intensity),
d
dt
In the first step, the indirect ionizing radiation transfers energy to secondary
charged particles. The mean energy transferred from indirectly ionizing radia-
tion to charged particles (electrons) per unit mass of the material is defined as
kerma (an acronym from: kinetic energy released per unit mass) [15]:
dE
K (2)
dm
In the second step, these charged particles transfer some of their kinetic energy
to the material (resulting in absorbed dose) and lose some of their energy in
the form of radiative losses (bremsstrahlung, annihilation).
Different possibilities of energy absorption in the volume due to photon
interactions with material are shown in Fig.1.
Energy absorbed in the volume V of matter is expressed as:
E ab ( i )1 ( i ) 2 ( i )3 ( i ) 4 (3)
where (Σεi)1 is the sum of energy lost by collisions along the track of the sec-
ondary particles within the volume, V.
Secondary electrons are losing their energy along their tracks (blackened
parts of the tracks shown in Fig.1). Energy is not absorbed at the same location
where it was first transferred to an electron.
58 Applications of ionizing radiation in materials processing
Fig.1. Illustration for the energy absorbed in volume. (Adapted from Ref. [16]).
In the case of the charged particles beam (electrons), most of the energy is
directly absorbed at the place within the volume where it was deposited (energy
absorption). The absorbed dose to a material or medium is related to electron
fluence in the material or medium:
S
D med med col (4)
med
where (Scol/ρ)med is mass collision stopping power of the material or medium
for the electrons penetrating material or medium with a certain energy.
Due to the slowing down of electrons in the material or medium, a pri-
mary fluence spectrum, Φmed,E, that ranges from the kinetic energy, Ek, down
to zero, will be always present, even if the electron beam is defined as mono-
energetic. So absorbed dose to the material or medium is an integral of Dmed,
(Eq. (4)):
E max
S S
D med 0
med,E col (E)dE med,E col
med med
(5)
D dD (6)
dt
In materials processing, one should take into account dose rate effects.
High dose rates lead to the creation of high free radical concentrations → back
reactions → reduced effect; low dose rates lead to the consumption of dis-
solved oxygen → less peroxy radicals → reduced effect [1]. The same reduc-
tion of effects may be obtained by irradiating materials in an oxygen-free
atmosphere.
Chapter 3 59
It is possible to calculate the dose rate from the natural radioactive sources
(60Co, 137Cs, etc.) that are used in different applications such as medical product
sterilization. The calculation is based on the evaluation of the exposure at a
certain distance from the source and followed by the conversion of the exposure
to absorbed dose.
The exposure, X, is usually defined as the sum of the electric charges on
all ions of one sign that are produced when all electrons liberated by the radia-
tion in a volume of air are completely stopped, divided by the mass of air in
that volume: X = dQ/dmair. An exposure X of 1 C/kg provides an absorbed dose
in air, Dair, of 33.97 Gy [13]:
Wair
Dair [Gy] X (7)
e
with Wair/e = 33.97 J/C, where Wair is the average energy, expended in air to
produce ion pair.
The dose to a material or medium, Dmed, is related to the dose in air, Dair, at
the same location:
en
med
D med 33.97 X (8)
en
air
The exposure rate in air, Ẋ, is inversely proportional to the squared distance
from the point source of activity, A(t) [17]:
A(t)
X (9)
r2
where Γ is the specific exposure gamma-ray constant at 1 m distance from the
source.
Specific exposure gamma-ray constants for the nuclides, most commonly
used in radiation processing, are: Γ(60Co) = 2.50 × 1012 Cm2/kg·MBq·s and
Γ(137Cs) = 6.64 × 1013 Cm2/kg·MBq·s [18]. Γ values, provided in different
literature sources, differ slightly due to new recalculations of the radionuclide
properties. Instead of a specific exposure gamma-ray constant, a specific dose
gamma-ray constant might also be used when exposure is converted to absorbed
dose. The formulae used are valid only for point sources. Field arrangements
and geometry factors must be taken into account if calculating the dose from
the complex sources, such as pencil sources in gamma cell, or sources in the
racks of the 60Co unit.
60 Applications of ionizing radiation in materials processing
3. DOSE DETERMINATIONS
3.1. STANDARDS
• Routine systems (Type II) are used for routine absorbed dose assessments,
such as dose mapping and process monitoring. Traceability to national or
international standards is needed.
The hierarchy of standard dosimetry systems as well as particular ISO standards
for radiation processing are shown in Fig.2.
3.3. UNCERTAINTIES
1 N
x
N 1 i 1
(x i ) 2 (11)
The standard deviation of the mean value is used to express the uncertainty
for the best estimate:
N
1 1
u A x
N
x
N(N 1) i 1
(x i ) 2 (12)
4. DOSIMETRY SYSTEMS
Fig.5. The temperature curves were extrapolated from T0 and Tc to mid-point of the
irradiation time at T0’ and Tc’, respectively. ΔT = Tc’ – T0’ is used for dose calculation.
Regions I, II and III are before, during and after the irradiation, respectively. (Adapted
from Ref. [15]).
A B C
Fig.6. Water calorimeter at Physicalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB, Germany):
A – an overall view of the construction, B – cubic water phantom surrounded by poly-
styrene containing walls, C – calorimetric detector filled with highly purified water.
(Adapted from Ref. [44]).
Chapter 3 69
However, calorimetry has not been conducted under the high speed operating
conditions common to electron beam processing.
Special polystyrene calorimeters are used for dose measurements at 1.5-4 MeV
electron beam energies and that the development of a calorimeter for low
energy (80-120 keV) electron beams under static, non-moving conditions is
ongoing [28].
Reference standard chemical dosimetry systems
(Fricke, ceric-cerous, potassium dichromate, alanine, ECB dosimeters)
In chemical dosimetry systems, the dose is determined by evaluating the
chemical change produced by radiation in the sensitive volume of the dosimeter.
Fricke dosimeters use a water solution of FeSO 4 (7H 2 O) or
Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2(6H2O) with additives of sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and sodium
chloride (NaCl), and are the most widely used chemical dosimetry standard
(Fig.7).
A B
Fig.7. Fricke dosimeters: (A) as prepared Fricke solutions, (B) application of Fricke
dosimeter in research related to food irradiation. (Adapted from Ref. [28]).
When irradiated, ferrous ions Fe2+ are oxidized into ferric ions Fe3+, that ex-
hibit a strong absorption peak at a wavelength of 304 nm, whereas ferrous ions
Fe2+ do not show any absorption at this wavelength. The response of Fricke
dosimeter is expressed in terms of the yield of ferric ions Fe3+. It is nearly inde-
pendent of the photon and electron energy in the range of 5-16 MeV. The aver-
age dose to Fricke solution is given by a change in optical density at 304 nm:
OD
DF (15)
GL
where: ε – the molar extinction coefficient (217.4 l/mol·cm at 25°C), G – the
yield of ferric ions Fe3+ (1.617 × 10–6 mol/J), ρ – the density of Fricke solution
(1.023 kg/dm3 at 25°C), L – the path length over which the optical signal was
red (typically 2-4 cm). The absorbed dose within the range of 40-400 Gy can
be measured using Fricke dosimeter.
70 Applications of ionizing radiation in materials processing
A B
Fig.8. Dichromate dosimeters: A – as prepared (left) and irradiated (right) dosimeters,
B – UV-VIS absorbance spectrum of irradiated potassium dichromate. (Adapted from
Ref. [28]).
B 102
Signal
Amplitude
101
100
3 Species, 1 Specimen,
Modulation, Modulation,
2 mT 0.1 mT
10–1
10–2
100 101 102 103 104 105 106
Fig.10. Different types of Perspex dosimeters and their reaction to irradiation. (Adapted
from Ref. [28]).
A B C
Fig.11. A – irradiated Risø B3 film; B and C – GEX DoseStix and WinDose dosimeters
made from Risø B3 film, respectively. (Adapted from Ref. [19]).
Chapter 3 73
B
B
Fig.12. A – Sunna films UV, green or red (IR) OSL absorption bands; B – sensibility
of Sunna film (green range) to different irradiations. (Adapted from Ref. [28]).
Mankind greatly benefits from the use of electron beam, gamma rays and X-rays
in industrial processing and in research and development. Radioisotopes and
fissionable materials are used in medicine, research, and power generation.
These uses involve potential exposure of personel to radiation. Accidental
exposure is also possible. Since radiation exposure presumably involves some
risk to the individuals, the levels of exposure allowed should be worth the result
that is achieved. The overall objective of radiation protection is to balance the
risks and benefits from activities that involve radiation even if these risks and
benefits are hardly measurable directly [48].
The IAEA recommendations for radiation protection are provided in the
Basic Safety Standards (BSS) books [49, 50]. These basic safety standards
represent internationally agreed standards that set out the requirements for a
framework to regulate radiation safety in each country and that, in principle,
have been accepted by all member states. They are based on knowledge of
radiation effects and on established principles of radiation protection, recom-
mended by the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection):
• Benefit of practices must offset radiation detriment.
• Exposures and likelihood of exposure should be kept as low as reasonably
achievable (ALARA principle).
• Dose limits should be set to ensure that no individual faces an unacceptable
risk under normal circumstances.
The ICRP has proposed safety standards to protect the health of workers
and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation (last
upgraded version: ICRP publication 103 [51]). These recommendations were
laid down in a European Directive: EU Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM
[52], which has been accepted by the Member States of the European Com-
munity.
The Directive has defined safety standards for the exposed workers in the
following way:
• The limit on the effective dose is 100 mSv in a consecutive five year period,
subject to a maximum effective dose of 50 mSv in any single year. In ac-
cordance with this, most Member States have defined an annual limit of
20 mSv. (Sievert, Sv, is equal to 1 joule of energy deposited in a kilogram
of human tissue).
• The annual limit on the equivalent dose for the lens of the eye is 20 mSv.
• The annual limit on the equivalent dose for the skin is 500 mSv.
• The annual limit on the equivalent dose for the hands, forearms, feet, and
ankles is 500 mSv.
The annual limit for the whole-body dose for the general population, is 1 mSv
in most countries.
76 Applications of ionizing radiation in materials processing
The ICRU has defined radiation protection quantities for dose limitations
to the potentially exposed workers that are different from those described above
in the introduction of this chapter: the equivalent dose (accounts for radiation
type) and the effective dose (accounts radiosensitivity of different organs and
tissues) [13].
Equivalent dose is the dose absorbed in an organ or tissue and multiplied
by the relevant radiation weighting factor, wR:
HT,R = wR DT,R (16)
where DT,R is the average absorbed dose in the organ or tissue T, and wR is the
radiation weighting factor for radiation R (alpha particles, electrons, photons,
neutrons).
Effective dose is a summation of the tissue equivalent doses, each multiplied
by the appropriate tissue/organ weighting factor, wT:
E w T HT (17)
T
where HT is the equivalent dose in tissue T, and wT is the tissue weighting fac-
tor for tissue T.
The unit of equivalent and also effective dose is J/kg, termed the sievert (Sv).
In order to minimize radiation risks to personnel working in potential ex-
posure conditions, relevant radiation protection measures should be imple-
Table 4. Typical personal dosimeters [42].
Radiation type, Advantages
Dosimeter Principle of operation
measurement range and disadvantages
Can be documented,
Photochemical γ, β
Film badge insensitive for low-energy
blackening 0.1 mSv-5.0 Sv
rays
Very sensitive,
permanently readable,
Pen-type pocket γ
Ionization chamber insensive for α- and
dosimeter 0.03-2.00 mSv
β-rays, cannot be
documented
Permanently Ionization or
γ Permanently readable,
readable dosimeter proportional chambers
0.1 μSv-10.0 Sv cannot be documented
(pocket dosimeter) and GM counters
Suitable for low dose
Thermoluminescence γ, (β)
TLD dosimeter measurements, cannot be
measurement 0.1 mSv-10.0 Sv
documented
Phosphate glass Photoluminescence γ Can be documented,
dosimeter measurement 0.1 mSv-10.0 Sv can be read repeatedly
Albedo neutron Neutron moderation n, γ Calibration depends
dosimeter by the carrier 0.1 mSv-10.0 Sv on human carrier
Chapter 3 77
mented in the work environment and the doses to workers must be perma-
nently controlled and measured using the appropriate dosimeters.
Typical applications of different measurement techniques for personal dosi-
metry are listed in Table 4. More detailed information on personal dosimeters
can be found in Refs. [41, 42, 53].
Acknowledgements
Authors of this chapter are thankful to Mark Bailey, András Kovács, Arne
Miller, Peter Sharpe and Zbigniew Zimek for valuable information provided
during the IAEA training courses in 2015.
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