Selection of an appropriate air kerma rate constant for 75Se sources.

Monte Carlo simulation techniques using a Monte Carlo N-Particle code (MCNP5) analyzed six Source Production & Equipment Co., Inc., Se industrial radiography sources to determine an appropriate air kerma rate constant for Se, factoring in source encapsulation and compared to a theoretical approximation. Based on this study, an air kerma rate constant was calculated to be 17.7 Gy cm h Ci (0.203 R m h Ci), which was found to be five times lower than values published in the 1992 Edition of the Radiological Health Handbook and Oak Ridge National Laboratory RISC-45. Simulations were also employed to determine the effects of self-attenuation with the SPEC sources, the relationship between photon transmission values, and the thickness of various shielding materials in reducing exposure rates from a (75)Se source.