Measurements of the doses of eye lens for the workers of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Yokoyama, Sumi*; Ezaki, Iwao*; Tatsuzaki, Hideo*; Tachiki, Shuichi*; Hirao, Kazushige*; Aoki, Katsunori; Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Hoshi, Katsuya; Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Tsujimura, Norio

Radiation Measurements, 138, p.106399_1 - 106399_5, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106399

Background correction method for portable thyroid dose monitor using gamma-ray spectrometer developed at JAEA in high dose rate environment

Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Nishino, Sho; Takahashi, Masa

Radiation Measurements, 137, p.106389_1 - 106389_5, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106389

A portable thyroid dose monitoring system has been developed at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to assess the thyroid equivalent dose for workers and members of the public in a high dose rate environment. The background (B.G.) photon correction is required for an accurate measurement in a high dose rate environment at an early stage after a nuclear accident. We developed the B.G. photon correction method using cylindrical PMMA phantoms.

Eye lens dosimetry for workers at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, 2; Field study using humanoid phantoms

Tsujimura, Norio; Hoshi, Katsuya; Aoki, Katsunori; Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Yokoyama, Sumi*

Radiation Measurements, 134, p.106305_1 - 106305_5, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106305

Eye lens dosimetry for workers at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, 1; Laboratory study on the dosemeter position and the shielding effect of full face mask respirators

Hoshi, Katsuya; Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Aoki, Katsunori; Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Tsujimura, Norio; Yokoyama, Sumi*

Radiation Measurements, 134, p.106304_1 - 106304_5, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106304

In FY 2017, the Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) established the Radiation Safety Research Promotion Fund for funding projects on nuclear safety regulation, and adopted the two-year research project entitled "Study on standard eye lens monitoring, suitable dose management and radiation protection for nuclear and medical workers". The study is a two-phase study: a laboratory study on the eye lens dosemeter's characteristics to photons, and a field study executed at actual workplaces at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. This paper summarizes the results of the first-phase study, which was designed to clarify the eye lens dosemeter positioning and the shielding effect of full face mask respirators used at the station. No marked difference was observed in readings of the dosemeters attached on the different positions on the head phantom. Two types of full face mask respirators provided insignificant shielding effect for photons of 83 keV to 662 keV.

External exposure dose estimation by electron spin resonance technique for wild Japanese macaque captured in Fukushima Prefecture

Oka, Toshitaka; Takahashi, Atsushi*; Koarai, Kazuma; Mitsuyasu, Yusuke*; Kino, Yasushi*; Sekine, Tsutomu*; Shimizu, Yoshinaka*; Chiba, Mirei*; Suzuki, Toshihiko*; Osaka, Ken*; et al.

Radiation Measurements, 134, p.106315_1 - 106315_4, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106315

The relationship between the CO radical intensity and the absorbed dose (dose response curve) of tooth enamel of Japanese macaque was observed by electron spin resonance and the detection limit of our system was estimated to be 33.5 mGy, which is comparable to the detection limit for human molar teeth. Using the dose response curve, external exposure dose for seven wild Japanese macaques captured in Fukushima prefecture were examined. The results suggest that the external exposure dose for the wild Japanese macaques were ranged between 45 mGy to 300 mGy.

Verification of dose estimation of Auger electrons emitted from Cu-64 using a combination of FNTD measurements and Monte Carlo simulations

Kusumoto, Tamon*; Matsuya, Yusuke; Baba, Kentaro*; Ogawara, Ryo*; Akselrod, M. S.*; Harrison, J.*; Fomenko, V.*; Kai, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Masayori*; Hasegawa, Sumitaka*; et al.

Radiation Measurements, 132, p.106256_1 - 106256_4, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106256

Internal radiation therapy with Cu-64 concentrates energy deposition in tumor cells by virtue of released Auger electrons with low energy. In our previous study, we have attached the solutions at the surface of Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detector (FNTD) and succeeded in measuring the absorbed doses of Auger electrons registered in FNTD. However, because there are several types of radiation emitted from the source, i.e., beta rays, positron etc., the contribution degree of Auger electron to energy concentration remain uncertain. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the spatial dose distribution in the FNTD based on Monte Carlo simulation with PHITS and GEANT4, and evaluated high dose deposited by Auger electrons. The dose distribution calculated by the PHITS code is exactly equivalent to that by Geant4. Also, the simulations are well agreement with experimental results. If the contribution of Auger electrons is ignored, the significantly high absorbed dose proximal to the source is not properly reduced. These findings demonstrate that Auger electrons work very effectively to kill cancer cells proximal to Cu-64 source while minimizing damage effects on normal cells distal to the source.

Optimization of thickness of GAGG scintillator for detecting an alpha particle emitter in a field of high beta and gamma background

Morishita, Yuki; Yamamoto, Seiichi*; Izaki, Kenji; Kaneko, Junichi*; Hoshi, Katsuya; Torii, Tatsuo

Radiation Measurements, 112, p.1 - 5, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2018.02.003

To detect plutonium isotopes (Pu, Pu, and Pu) in a field of high beta and background, an alpha particle detector with low beta and -ray sensitivity is required. Therefore, we optimized the thickness of the GAGG scintillator for alpha particle detection in a field of high beta and background. We prepared three GAGG scintillators with thicknesses of 0.05 mm, 0.07 mm, and 0.1 mm. Each of the GAGG scintillators was coupled optically to the SiPM array, which was used as the photodetector. Alpha, beta, and rays were irradiated onto the developed alpha particle detector, and their spectra were obtained. All GAGG scintillators used in this study were not sensitive to rays with a dose rate of 1 mSv/h. The beta count of the 0.05-mm-thick GAGG was only 1/100 that of the 0.1-mm-thick GAGG. Therefore, the 0.05-mm-thick GAGG scintillator is promising from the viewpoint of detecting plutonium contamination in a field with high beta and background.

An Approach to discriminatively determine thoron and radon emanation rates for a granular material with a scintillation cell

Sakoda, Akihiro; Meisenberg, O.*; Tschiersch, J.*

Radiation Measurements, 89, p.8 - 13, 2016/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.01.026

In the present study, the methodology for the discriminative determination of thoron and radon emanation rates from a granular material has been examined using a flow-through scintillation cell and so-called sandwich sample. The mathematical model was developed to differentiate total alpha counts into thoron- and radon-associated counts. This method was experimentally validated, and then the detection limits and uncertainties were evaluated to characterize this method. It was concluded that the present method is advantageous to a sample that has much higher Ra activity than Ra if the emanation fractions are similar between thoron and radon.

Comparison of Bonner Sphere responses calculated by different Monte Carlo codes at energies between 1 MeV and 1 GeV; Potential impact on neutron dosimetry at energies higher than 20 MeV

Rhm, W.*; Mares, V.*; Pioch, C.*; Agosteo, S.*; Endo, Akira; Ferrarini, M.*; Rakhno, I.*; Rollet, S.*; Satoh, Daiki; Vincke, H.*

Radiation Measurements, 67, p.24 - 34, 2014/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2014.05.006

In order to investigate the impact of the difference of the transport code on the response calculation of Bonner Sphere, EURADOS (European Radiation Dosimetry Group) initiated an exercise where six groups having experience in neutron transport calculations with the MC codes (MCNP, MCNPX, FLUKA, PHITS, MARS, or GEANT4) calculated the responses of a bare He proportional counter, a He proportional counter embedded in the middle of a 9 inch polyethylene sphere, and a He proportional counter centred in a 9 inch polyethylene sphere containing a lead shell, at neutron energies of 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 MeV.

Experimental study for the production cross sections of positron emitters induced from C and O nuclei by low-energy proton beams

Akagi, Takashi*; Yagi, Masashi*; Yamashita, Tomohiro*; Murakami, Masao*; Yamakawa, Yoshiyuki*; Kitamura, Keiji*; Ogura, Koichi; Kondo, Kiminori; Kawanishi, Shunichi*

Radiation Measurements, 59, p.262 - 269, 2013/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2013.07.005

In proton therapy, positron emitters are induced from C andO nuclei by protons on the beam path in the patient. Many studies for monitoring positron emitters with beam-induced PET technique have been performed by various groups to verify the proton beam range and the dose in the patient for quality assurance. The aim of this study was to develop a method for measuring the production cross sections of positron emitters using standard equipment for proton therapy. The time-activity curve was then obtained with a high-sensitivity PET scanner to extract the number of positron emitters produced in the target. The production cross sections for four reaction channels: O(p,pn)O, O(p,3p3n)C, O(p,2p2n)N, and C(p,pn)C were then measured. The cross sections for the O(p,pn)O reaction channel were consistent with data of previous experiments within the uncertainties, while those of C(p,pn)C were generally lower than data of previous experiments.