scholarly journals Maximizing avertable doses with a minimum amount of waste for remediation of land areas around typical single family houses after radioactive fallout based on Monte Carlo simulations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Hinrichsen ◽  
Robert Finck ◽  
Johan Martinsson ◽  
Christopher Rääf
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Radiation Exposure ◽  
Dose Reduction ◽  
Observation Point ◽  
Nuclear Accidents ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Optimal Depth ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Topsoil Removal

AbstractThe uncontrolled release of long-lived radioactive substances from nuclear accidents can contaminate inhabited land areas. The removal of topsoil is an important method for reducing future radiation exposure but can also generate a large amount of waste that needs safe disposal. To the best of our knowledge, previous studies have determined the optimal depth of topsoil removal but not the size of the area designated for this measure. For this purpose, this study performed Monte Carlo simulations of hypothetical 137Cs surface contamination on various ground areas in a typical northern European suburban area. The goal was to study the size of the areas needed and amount of waste generated to achieve a certain relative and absolute dose reduction. The results showed that removing the topsoil from areas larger than 3000 m2 around the houses in the study neighbourhood results in only marginal reduction in radiation exposure. If, on average, 5 cm of topsoil is removed over 3000 m2, then 150 m3 of waste would be generated. However, in this scenario adjacent properties benefit from each other’s decontamination, leading to a smaller amount of waste for a given reduction in future radiation exposure per inhabitant of these dwellings. Additionally, it was shown that topsoil removal over limited areas has a higher impact on the absolute dose reduction at an observation point inside or outside the houses with higher initial dose.

scholarly journals Dose reduction in CT using bismuth shielding: measurements and Monte Carlo simulations

2009 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.-H. Chang ◽  
W. Lee ◽  
D.-M. Choo ◽  
C.-S. Lee ◽  
Y. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Dose Reduction ◽  
Bismuth Shielding

scholarly journals Population Pharmacokinetics of Posaconazole Tablets and Monte Carlo Simulations To Determine whether All Patients Should Receive the Same Dose

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Petitcollin ◽  
C. Boglione-Kerrien ◽  
C. Tron ◽  
S. Nimubona ◽  
S. Lalanne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Dose Reduction ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Compartment Model ◽  
Oral Suspension ◽  
Simulated Patients ◽  
Expensive Drug

ABSTRACT Posaconazole is extensively used for prophylaxis for invasive fungal infections. The gastro-resistant tablet formulation has allowed the bioavailability issues encountered with the oral suspension to be overcome. However, overexposure is now frequent. This study aimed to (i) describe the pharmacokinetics of posaconazole tablets in a real-life cohort of patients with hematological malignancies and (ii) perform Monte Carlo simulations to assess the possibility that the daily dose can be reduced while keeping a sufficient exposure. Forty-nine consecutive inpatients were prospectively included in the study. Posaconazole trough concentrations (TC) were measured once a week, and biological and demographic data were collected. The concentrations were analyzed by compartmental modeling, and Monte Carlo simulations were performed using estimated parameters to assess the rate of attainment of the target TC after dose reduction. The pharmacokinetics of posaconazole were well described using a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination. The values of the parameters (interindividual variabilities) were as follows: the absorption constant (ka ) was 0.588 h−1 (fixed), the volume of distribution (V/F) was 420 liters (28.2%), and clearance (CL/F) was 7.3 liters/h (24.2%) with 31.9% interoccasion variability. Forty-nine percent of the simulated patients had TC at steady state of ≥1.5 μg/ml and maintained a TC above 1 μg/ml after a reduction of the dose to 200 mg daily. A third of these patients eligible for a dose reduction had TC of ≥1.5 μg/ml as soon as 48 h of treatment. Though posaconazole tablets were less impacted by bioavailability issues than the oral suspension, the pharmacokinetics of posaconazole tablets remain highly variable. Simulations showed that approximately half of the patients would benefit from a reduction of the dose from 300 mg to 200 mg while keeping the TC above the minimal recommended target of 0.7 μg/ml, resulting in a 33% savings in the cost of this very expensive drug.

Low-voltage EDS of magnesium ferrite Dendrites in a FEG-SEM

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 478-479
Author(s):  
Matthew T. Johnson ◽  
Ian M. Anderson ◽  
Jim Bentley ◽  
C. Barry Carter
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Magnesium Ferrite ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Interaction Volume ◽  
Ferrite Spinel

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) performed at low (≤ 5 kV) accelerating voltages in the SEM has the potential for providing quantitative microanalytical information with a spatial resolution of ∼100 nm. In the present work, EDS analyses were performed on magnesium ferrite spinel [(MgxFe1−x)Fe2O4] dendrites embedded in a MgO matrix, as shown in Fig. 1. spatial resolution of X-ray microanalysis at conventional accelerating voltages is insufficient for the quantitative analysis of these dendrites, which have widths of the order of a few hundred nanometers, without deconvolution of contributions from the MgO matrix. However, Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the interaction volume for MgFe2O4 is ∼150 nm at 3 kV accelerating voltage and therefore sufficient to analyze the dendrites without matrix contributions.Single-crystal {001}-oriented MgO was reacted with hematite (Fe2O3) powder for 6 h at 1450°C in air and furnace cooled. The specimen was then cleaved to expose a clean cross-section suitable for microanalysis.

MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF ELECTRON DRIFT VELOCITIES IN THE NOBLE GASES AND THEIR MIXTURES

1979 ◽  
Vol 40 (C7) ◽  
pp. C7-63-C7-64
Author(s):  
A. J. Davies ◽  
J. Dutton ◽  
C. J. Evans ◽  
A. Goodings ◽  
P.K. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Noble Gases ◽  
Electron Drift

PET/CT

2005 ◽  
Vol 44 (S 01) ◽  
pp. S51-S57 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Beyer ◽  
G. Brix
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Radiation Exposure ◽  
Dose Reduction ◽  
Pet Imaging ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
High Radiation ◽  
Radiation Burden ◽  
Pet Ct

Summary:Clinical studies demonstrate a gain in diagnostic accuracy by employing combined PET/CT instead of separate CT and PET imaging. However, whole-body PET/CT examinations result in a comparatively high radiation burden to patients and thus require a proper justification and optimization to avoid repeated exposure or over-exposure of patients. This review article summarizes relevant data concerning radiation exposure of patients resulting from the different components of a combined PET/CT examination and presents different imaging strategies that can help to balance the diagnostic needs and the radiation protection requirements. In addition various dose reduction measures are discussed, some of which can be adopted from CT practice, while others mandate modifications to the existing hardand software of PET/CT systems.

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