Dental enamel EPR dosimetry: comparative testing of the spectra processing methods for determination of radiation-induced signal amplitude.

The aim of this investigation is to find out the optimal algorithm for mathematical processing of the EPR spectra of irradiated tooth enamel for estimating the amplitude of the radiation-induced signal, which is used for determination of the absorbed dose in enamel for retrospective individual dosimetry. A recently developed analytical model, which takes into account the line shape variation of the enamel EPR spectral components registered at different microwave power, was applied to spectra processing in various operation modes to simulate spectra processing techniques differing by the number of fitted parameters. The precision of dose determination at spectra processing was assessed by the root mean square deviation between experimental and nominal doses for sets of spectra of enamel samples irradiated in different doses and measured at different microwave power.

Considerations regarding the implementation of EPR dosimetry for the population in the vicinity of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site based on experience from other radiation accidents.

General aspects of applying the method of retrospective dose estimation by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of human tooth enamel (EPR dosimetry) to the population residing in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site are analyzed and summarized. The analysis is based on the results obtained during 20 years of investigations conducted in the Medical Radiological Research Center regarding the development and practical application of this method for wide-scale dosimetrical investigation of populations exposed to radiation after the Chernobyl accident and other radiation accidents.