Validation of a model for estimating individual external dose based on ambient dose equivalent and life patterns

Sato, Rina; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Sanada, Yukihisa; Sato, Tetsuro*

Journal of Radiation Protection and Research, 47(2), p.77 - 85, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.14407/jrpr.2021.00290

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident, a model was developed to estimate the external exposure doses for residents who were expected to return to their homes after evacuation orders were lifted. However, the model's accuracy and uncertainties in parameters used to estimate external doses have not been evaluated. This study validates the model's accuracy by comparing the estimated effective doses with the measured personal dose equivalents. The personal dose equivalents and life pattern data were collected for 36 adult participants who lived or worked near the FDNPS in 2019. The estimated effective doses correlated significantly with the personal dose equivalents, demonstrating the model's applicability for effective dose estimation. However, the lower value of the effective dose relative to personal dose equivalent indoors could be because the conversion factor from ambient dose equivalent to effective dose did not reflect the actual environment.

External dose evaluation based on detailed air dose rate measurements in living environments

Sato, Tetsuro*; Ando, Masaki; Sato, Masako*; Saito, Kimiaki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 210, p.105973_1 - 105973_7, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.05.005

A method was devised for estimation of external doses of Fukushima residents expected to return to their homes after evacuation orders are lifted. 211 residents expected to return to six towns and villages were surveyed in FY 2014, FY 2015, and FY2016. Interviewing returning residents about their expected life patterns after returning, air dose rate were measured along the reported personal trails representing their patterns of movement in daily life. Excluding 15 residents from whose homes we were unable to take air dose rate measurements, the maximum external effective dose and the average external effective dose were estimated respectively as 4.9 mSv/y and 0.86 mSv/y. Although the mean values and dispersion of external effective doses differ depending on the evacuation level, for 93.3% of all residents, the estimated external effective doses were less than 2 mSv/y. The average exposure dose at home accounts for 66.8% of the annual exposure dose.

Investigation of hydrogen gas generation by radiolysis for cement-solidified products of used adsorbents for water decontamination

Sato, Junya; Kikuchi, Hiroshi*; Kato, Jun; Sakakibara, Tetsuro; Matsushima, Ryotatsu; Sato, Fuminori; Kojima, Junji; Nakazawa, Osamu

QST-M-8; QST Takasaki Annual Report 2016, P. 62, 2018/03

https://repo.qst.go.jp/records/73811

no abstracts in English

Characterization of the PTW 34031 ionization chamber (PMI) at RCNP with high energy neutrons ranging from 100 - 392 MeV

Theis, C.*; Carbonez, P.*; Feldbaumer, E.*; Forkel-Wirth, D.*; Jaegerhofer, L.*; Pangallo, M.*; Perrin, D.*; Urscheler, C.*; Roesler, S.*; Vincke, H.*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 153, p.08018_1 - 08018_5, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201715308018

At CERN, gas-filled ionization chambers PTW-34031 (PMI) are commonly used in radiation fields including neutrons, protons and -rays. A response function for each particle is calculated by the radiation transport code FLUKA. To validate a response function to high energy neutrons, benchmark experiments with quasi mono-energetic neutrons have been carried out at RCNP, Osaka University. For neutron irradiation with energies below 200 MeV, very good agreement was found comparing the FLUKA simulations and the measurements. In addition it was found that at proton energies of 250 and 392 MeV, results calculated with neutron sources underestimate the experimental data due to a non-negligible gamma component originating from the target Li(p,n)Be reaction.

The Hydrogen gas generation by electron-beam irradiation from ALPS adsorbents solidified by several inorganic materials

Sato, Junya; Suzuki, Shinji*; Kato, Jun; Sakakibara, Tetsuro; Meguro, Yoshihiro; Nakazawa, Osamu

QST-M-2; QST Takasaki Annual Report 2015, P. 87, 2017/03

https://repo.qst.go.jp/records/73804

no abstracts in English

Measurements of air dose rates in and around houses in the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan after the Fukushima accident

Matsuda, Norihiro; Mikami, Satoshi; Sato, Tetsuro*; Saito, Kimiaki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 166(Part 3), p.427 - 435, 2017/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.03.012

Characterization of high-energy quasi-monoenergetic neutron energy spectra and ambient dose equivalents of 80-389 MeV Li(p,n) reactions using a time-of-flight method

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Satoh, Daiki; Araki, Shohei*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Masuda, Akihiko*; Matsumoto, Tetsuro*; Nakao, Noriaki*; Shima, Tatsushi*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 804, p.50 - 58, 2015/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.045

We have measured neutron energy spectra for the 80, 100 and 296 MeV proton incident reactions at the RCNP cyclotron facility using time-of-flight method. The neutron energy spectrum consisted of the peak and continuum parts and the peak intensity was 0.9-1.1 10 neutrons/sr/C. The ratio of peak intensity of the spectrum to the total intensity was between 0.38 and 0.48. To consider the correction required to derive a response in the peak region from the measured total response for neutron monitors, we proposed the subtraction method using energy spectra between 0 and 25. The normalizing factor k against the 25 neutron fluence that equalizes the 0 neutron fluence in the continuum region was from 0.74 to 1.02. With our previous results, we have obtained data for characterization of monoenergetic neutron field for the Li(p,n) reaction with 80389 MeV protons at the RCNP cyclotron facility.

Measurement of air dose rates over a wide area around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant through a series of car-borne surveys

Ando, Masaki; Nakahara, Yukio; Tsuda, Shuichi; Yoshida, Tadayoshi; Matsuda, Norihiro; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Mikami, Satoshi; Kinouchi, Nobuyuki; Sato, Tetsuro*; Tanigaki, Minoru*; et al.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 139, p.266 - 280, 2015/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.05.014

A series of car-borne surveys using the KURAMA and KURAMA-II systems was conducted in a wide area in eastern Japan from June 2011 to December 2012 to evaluate the distribution of air dose rates around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, and to determine the time-dependent trend of decrease in air dose rates. An automated data processing system was established, which enables analyses of large amounts of data obtained with the use of about 100 units of the measurement system in a short time. The initial data for studying the migration status of radioactive cesium was obtained in the first survey, followed by the other car-borne surveys having wider measurement ranges. Comparing the measured air dose rates obtained in each survey, it was found that the decreasing trend of air dose rates measured through car-borne surveys was larger than that expected from the physical decay of radioactive cesium and that measured using NaI (Tl) survey meters around the road.

Spatial distributions of radionuclides deposited onto ground soil around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant and their temporal change until December 2012

Mikami, Satoshi; Maeyama, Takeshi*; Hoshide, Yoshifumi*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Sato, Shoji*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Demongeot, S.*; Gurriaran, R.*; Uwamino, Yoshitomo*; Kato, Hiroaki*; et al.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 139, p.320 - 343, 2015/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.09.010

Na-montmorillonite dissolution rate determined by varying the Gibbs free energy of reaction in a dispersed system and its application to a coagulated system in 0.3M NaOH solution at 70C

Oda, Chie; Walker, C.; Chino, Daisuke*; Ichige, Satoru; Honda, Akira; Sato, Tsutomu*; Yoneda, Tetsuro*

Applied Clay Science, 93-94, p.62 - 71, 2014/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2014.02.021

Na-montmorillonite dissolution in a 0.3M NaOH solution has been investigated at pH12 and 70C. The flow-through dissolution experiments were conducted in a dispersed system with varying concentrations of Si and Al to derive a Na-montmorillonite dissolution rate, as a non-linear function of the Gibbs free energy of reaction, dGr. This rate equation was used to simulate the batch-type Na-montmorillonite reaction experiments conducted in a coagulated system. The model simulation of the batch-type experiment adopting the empirical rate equations of Na-montmorillonite dissolution and secondary mineral analcime precipitation were able to reproduce the measured changes in the amount of dissolved Na-montmorillonite and concentrations of Si and Al in solution. The results showed that the empirical rate equation of Na-montmorillonite dissolution determined in the dispersed system was applicable to the coagulated system over a higher dGr range and that the concentrations of Si and Al in the batch experiment were controlled by the precipitation of analcime.