RENEB Inter-Laboratory Comparison 2021: Inter-Assay Comparison of Eight Dosimetry Assays.

Tools for radiation exposure reconstruction are required to support the medical management of radiation victims in radiological or nuclear incidents. Different biological and physical dosimetry assays can be used for various exposure scenarios to estimate the dose of ionizing radiation a person has absorbed. Regular validation of the techniques through inter-laboratory comparisons (ILC) is essential to guarantee high quality results.

A comparative validation of biodosimetry and physical dosimetry techniques for possible triage applications in emergency dosimetry.

Large-scale radiological accidents or nuclear terrorist incidents involving radiological or nuclear materials can potentially expose thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of people to unknown radiation doses, requiring prompt dose reconstruction for appropriate triage. Two types of dosimetry methods namely, biodosimetry and physical dosimetry are currently utilized for estimating absorbed radiation dose in humans. Both methods have been tested separately in several inter-laboratory comparison exercises, but a direct comparison of physical dosimetry with biological dosimetry has not been performed to evaluate their dose prediction accuracies.

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE USE OF THERMOLUMINESCENCE AND OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE FROM MOBILE PHONES IN EMERGENCY DOSIMETRY.

Proposed physical dosimetry methods for emergency dosimetry in radiological, mass-casualty incidents include both thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Potential materials that could feasibly be used for TL and OSL dosimetry include clothing, shoes and personal accessories. However, the most popular target of study has been personal electronics, especially different components from smartphones.

AN ADVANCE IN EPR DOSIMETRY WITH NAILS.

Olive oil is proposed as a medium for storage of nails in the time between nail harvesting and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements to minimise the decay of the radiation-induced EPR signals (RIS). The behaviours of three main EPR signals, namely, RIS, mechanically induced and the background signals (MIS and BG, respectively), were studied for storage in olive oil. The properties of the MIS and BG signals were very similar to those previously observed for the storage in a vacuum.

A COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT SPECTRA DECONVOLUTION METHODS USED IN EPR DOSIMETRY WITH GORILLA® GLASSES.

Two different spectra deconvolution methods have been compared on samples of Gorilla® Glass (GG) irradiated in the dose range 0-20 Gy and measured with X-band EPR. The first method used a matrix deconvolution procedure using sample-specific sets of reference signals. The second method used a 'universal' set of eight reference signals (due to five electron centers, two hole centers and a background) to fit EPR spectra from any GG sample.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EPR AND TL SIGNALS IN GORILLA® GLASS.

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Thermoluminescence (TL) signals have been studied in samples of Gorilla® Glass (GG) from different smartphones as well as some online stores and vendors. Background, radiation-induced and ultraviolet-induced signals were compared between the samples. Significant variability of both EPR and TL signals (in shape and intensity) was observed between samples from different screens as well as over the surface of the same screen, from the same phone.

UNCERTAINTY ON RADIATION DOSES ESTIMATED BY BIOLOGICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE PHYSICAL METHODS.

Biological and physical retrospective dosimetry are recognised as key techniques to provide individual estimates of dose following unplanned exposures to ionising radiation. Whilst there has been a relatively large amount of recent development in the biological and physical procedures, development of statistical analysis techniques has failed to keep pace. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the art in uncertainty analysis techniques across the 'EURADOS Working Group 10-Retrospective dosimetry' members, to give concrete examples of implementation of the techniques recommended in the international standards, and to further promote the use of Monte Carlo techniques to support characterisation of uncertainties.

Stability of X-band EPR signals from fingernails under vacuum storage.

EPR signals of different origin have been tested in human finger- and toe-nails with an X-band EPR technique for different conditions of nail storage. Three different signals were identified, namely a singlet at g=2.005, a doublet at g=2.

Retrospective Imaging and Characterization of Nuclear Material.

Modern techniques for detection of covert nuclear material requires some combination of real time measurement and/or sampling of the material. More common is real time measurement of the ionizing emission caused by radioactive decay or through the materials measured in response to external interrogation radiation. One can expose the suspect material with various radiation types, including high energy photons such as x rays or with larger particles such as neutrons and muons, to obtain images or measure nuclear reactions induced in the material.

Integration of new biological and physical retrospective dosimetry methods into EU emergency response plans - joint RENEB and EURADOS inter-laboratory comparisons.

Purpose: RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,' is a network for research and emergency response mutual assistance in biodosimetry within the EU. Within this extremely active network, a number of new dosimetry methods have recently been proposed or developed. There is a requirement to test and/or validate these candidate techniques and inter-comparison exercises are a well-established method for such validation.

Emergency EPR and OSL dosimetry with table vitamins and minerals.

Several table vitamins, minerals and L-lysine amino acid have been preliminarily tested as potential emergency dosemeters using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. Radiation-induced EPR signals were detected in samples of vitamin B2 and L-lysine while samples of multivitamins of different brands as well as mineral Mg demonstrated prominent OSL signals after exposure to ionizing radiation doses. Basic dosimetric properties of the radiation-sensitive substances were studied, namely dose response, fading of the EPR or OSL signals and values of minimum measurable doses (MMDs).

Emergency EPR dosimetry technique using vacuum-stored dry nails.

Human finger- and toenails have been tested with an X-band EPR technique for different conditions of nail storage. The main radiation-induced signal at g=2.005 demonstrated good stability if the samples were stored in a vacuum at room temperature after nail harvesting and irradiation.

Characterization of natural and irradiated nails by means of the depolarization metrics.

Mueller polarimetry is applied to study the samples of nails: natural (or reference) and irradiated to 2 Gy ionizing radiation dose. We measure the whole Mueller matrices of the samples as a function of the scattering angle at a wavelength of 632.8 nm.

INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FROM MOBILE PHONES AS POSSIBLE EMERGENCY OSL/TL DOSIMETERS.

In this article, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) data are presented from integrated circuits (ICs) extracted from mobile phones. The purpose is to evaluate the potential of using OSL from components in personal electronic devices such as smart phones as a means of emergency dosimetry in the event of a large-scale radiological incident. ICs were extracted from five different makes and models of mobile phone.

Emergency Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimetry Using Different Materials.

Several materials were tested as possible individual emergency dosimeters using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) as means to assess the exposure. Materials investigated included human nails, business cards and plastic buttons. The OSL properties of these materials were studied in comparison with those of teeth.

Emergency Dose Estimation Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence from Human Tooth Enamel.

Human teeth were studied for potential use as emergency Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dosimeters. By using multiple-teeth samples in combination with a custom-built sensitive OSL reader, (60)Co-equivalent doses below 0.64 Gy were measured immediately after exposure with the lowest value being 27 mGy for the most sensitive sample.

EPR emergency dosimetry with plastic components of personal goods.

Radiation-induced electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals were studied in samples of plastic materials of various origin: buttons, details of underwear, elements of mobile phones, etc. The following parameters were investigated: dose response curve in the range 0-25 Gy; stability of potential dosimetric signals at different temperatures of storage after exposure; and influence of solar radiation on the dosimetric properties of materials. Plastics from personal goods were found to be a potentially acceptable material for use as individual EPR dosimeters with sensitivity threshold below 5 Gy.

UV effects in tooth enamel and their possible application in EPR dosimetry with front teeth.

The effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on ionizing radiation biodosimetry were studied in human tooth enamel samples using the technique of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in X-band. For samples in the form of grains, UV-specific EPR spectra were spectrally distinct from those produced by exposure to gamma radiation. From larger enamel samples, the UV penetration depth was determined to be in the 60-120 mum range.

The Ukrainian-American study of leukemia and related disorders among Chornobyl cleanup workers from Ukraine: II. Estimation of bone marrow doses.

After the accident that took place on 26 April 1986 at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, hundreds of thousands of cleanup workers were involved in emergency measures and decontamination activities. In the framework of an epidemiological study of leukemia and other related blood diseases among Ukrainian cleanup workers, individual bone marrow doses have been estimated for 572 cases and controls. Because dose records were available for only about half of the study subjects, a time-and-motion method of dose reconstruction that would be applicable to all study subjects, whether dead or alive, was developed.

Dosimetry for a study of low-dose radiation cataracts among Chernobyl clean-up workers.

A cohort of 8,607 Ukrainian Chernobyl clean-up workers during 1986-1987 was formed to study cataract formation after ionizing radiation exposure. Study eligibility required the availability of sufficient exposure information to permit the reconstruction of doses to the lens of the eye. Eligible groups included civilian workers, such as those who built the "sarcophagus" over the reactor, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Workers, and military reservists who were conscripted for clean-up work.

Lessons of the 3rd international intercomparison on EPR dosimetry with teeth: similarities and differences of two successful techniques.

Despite the considerable improvement in accuracy in comparison with previous intercomparison programmes, the outcome of the recent 3rd International Intercomparison on EPR Tooth Dosimetry has demonstrated that performance of various protocols practised in different laboratories significantly varies. SCRM and MUG took part in this intercomparison with their own versions of EPR dosimetry protocols, demonstrating the good correlation between reconstructed and nominal doses (best result for SCRM and fourth best for MUG) and the lowest both absolute and relative mean deviations from the nominal doses. Although the general results of the 3rd Intercomparison are being discussed elsewhere in this issue by Wieser et al.

A transferability study of the EPR-tooth-dosimetry technique.

The transferability of a measurement protocol from one laboratory to another is an important feature of any mature, standardised protocol. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-tooth dosimetry technique that was developed in Scientific Center for Radiation Medicine, AMS, Ukraine (SCRM) for routine dosimetry of Chernobyl liquidators has demonstrated consistent results in several inter-laboratory measurement comparisons. Transferability to the EPR dosimetry laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was examined.

The Third International Intercomparison on EPR Tooth Dosimetry: part 2, final analysis.

The objective of the Third International Intercomparison on EPR Tooth Dosimetry was to evaluate laboratories performing tooth enamel dosimetry <300 mGy. Final analysis of results included a correlation analysis between features of laboratory dose reconstruction protocols and dosimetry performance. Applicability of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tooth dosimetry at low dose was shown at two applied dose levels of 79 and 176 mGy.

Variability of parameters in retrospective EPR dosimetry with teeth for Ukrainian population.

Variability of EPR signal parameters in retrospective dosimetry with teeth has been studied among five different oblasts (regions) of Ukraine. It was found that the native signal in enamel is region-invariant and has peak-to-peak width of 0.85+/-0.