Review of the thermoluminescent dosimetry method for the environmental dose monitoring

Passive solid state dosimeters, such as thermoluminescence dosimeters, provide integrated measurement of the total dose and are widely used in environmental monitoring programs. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review on the use of thermoluminescent dosimetry methods for monitoring radiation dose in the environment. The article presents the part of the research results of the project PREPAREDNESS (EMPIR 2016 call for Metrology for Environment joint research project) with a particular objective to harmonize procedures used by dosimetry services, relevant authorities and Institutes across the Europe. To achieve this, different monitoring routines that are based on passive environ mental dosimetry methods are investigated. Differences in performing specific steps such as preheating, reading, annealing, minimizing fading, and others, are analyzed. The investigation was performed by means of qualitative literature review that showed the lack of information about specific steps. The conclusion of this work is that thermoluminescent dosimetry measurement system has to be type-tested even though the testing procedure is complicated. In addition to this, control dosimeters should be introduced, International Organization for Standardization protocols should be followed during calibration, and finally, parameters influencing the measurement uncertainty have to be identified and well understood in order to pro duce ac cu rate dose measurement results.

Radiation-hygienic assessment of modern medical technologies

Introduction. Currently, modern medical radiation technologies, including the use of radiopharmaceuticals, are becoming more widely used. At the same time, it should be noted that these technologies themselves have undergone a significant evolution towards improving their radiation safety. But while radiation technologies have been steadily improving, approaches to controlling and regulating activities with ionizing radiation sources remain highly conservative. In law enforcement practice, this approach leads more and more to excessive requirements that are not justified for the basic principles of radiation safety - rationing, justification, optimization. This paper substantiates the ways to improve the issues of regulation and regulation of activities using modern radiation technologies Purpose of research. Conducting radiation and hygiene assessment of working conditions in PET centers and developing proposals for improving regulatory requirements, taking into account the features of modern technologies Material and methods. Protocols of industrial radiation control, results of own research of effective equivalent doses, equivalent doses for the skin and lens of the eye by thermoluminescent dosimetry, timekeeping of the working time of the PET center staff were used. Results. As part of the work, the results of industrial radiation monitoring of the PET- center of a large medical organization were analyzed. It is shown that the annual radiation doses are within no more than 1/3 of the dose limit for limited personnel, most of whom receive less than 5 mS per year. The data of our research carried out based on the scientific LRC of the Department of radiochemistry of the Lomonosov Moscow State University are in good agreement with the data of the medical institution. Conducting time-lapse studies allowed us to conclude that the time of direct exposure of personnel is significantly less than the standard values provided for by regulatory documents, and the dose rates for many operations can not correspond to the values regulated by these documents. It is shown how a safe technology can relate, on formal grounds, to “highly dangerous”, which is a significant modern contradiction in the field of regulating activities with radiation sources. Conclusion. An important factor in ensuring radiation safety is the identification of critical groups of personnel, the most exposed organs, and tissues, taking into account the annual activity consumed. The standardized dose rate criteria laid down in regulatory documents do not provide for the use of indicators of the actual workload (time of exposure). It is necessary to introduce appropriate changes to the normative documents.