Dosimetry personal

Check exposures routinely by personal dosimetry or following accidents (in the UK dosimetry services must be approved) and keep records (e.g. in UK for at least 50 years). Notify the relevant employees and authorities as appropriate. Monitor background contamination periodically using equipment that has been checked by qualified persons and keep records of levels (e.g. for 2 years). 

Environmental analysis entails sampling ambient air (Table 9.1) by means of a pump with subsequent analysis of the collected sample. Pumps vary from large, stationary high-volume versions to pocket-size devices used in personal dosimetry. Samples may be collected in airtight bags, or absorbed in liquids or on solid adsorbents for subsequent analysis. 

A common approach for personal dosimetry is collection of pollutant on, e.g., silica gel, organic resins or activated charcoal in small tubes worn on the operator s lapel (Table 9.2). Silica gel is useful for polar chemicals charcoal finds wide use for non-polar substances. The pollutant is then solvent-extracted or thermally desorbed for subsequent analysis by, e.g., chromatography. 

In Chapter 5.4, optical ultraviolet radiation sensors are described, including UV-enhanced silicon-based pn diodes, detectors made from other wide band gap materials in crystalline or polycrystalline form, the latter being a new, less costly alternative. Other domestic applications are personal UV exposure dosimetry, surveillance of sun beds, flame scanning in gas and oil burners, fire alarm monitors and water sterilization equipment surveillance. 

Also, radio frequency emissions from portable radios adversely affected personal dosimetry measuring devices, which also gave falsely high readings (Shepperly and Hathaway 1991). 

Materials for ESR Dosimetry and Dating. Materials used for retrospective dosimetry of radiation exposure depend on the situation. In addition to human tooth enamel, materials worn by the person, such as shell buttons, or used nearby at the site, such as sugar,32 have been studied to evaluate the radiation dose. On the other hand, materials for ESR radiation dosimetry elements should be well-controlled synthetic chemicals, although natural materials like bovine bones and sugar were proposed in the past. 

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