Feasibility study of extremity dosemeter based on polyallyldiglycolcarbonate (CR-39) for neutron exposure

• Published in: Radiation Protection Dosimetry
• Main Authors: Chau, Q., Bruguier, P.
• Other Authors: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2007
• Subjects: neutron; nuclear reactor; radiation dose; radiation monitoring; relative biologic effectiveness; reproducibility; sensitivity and specificity; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Extremities; Feasibility Studies; Humans; Neutrons; Nuclear Reactors; Occupational Exposure; Polyethylene Glycols; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Protection; Relative Biological Effectiveness; Reproducibility of Results; carbonic acid derivative; polyallyldiglycolcarbonate; proton; unclassified drug; cr 39; macrogol derivative; algorithm; analyzer; article; dosimeter; dosimetry; feasibility study; microscope; neutron radiation; nuclear power plant; nuclear safety; photon; radiation energy; radiation exposure; radiation field; videorecording; workplace; equipment; evaluation; human; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03085368; https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncm106

In nuclear facilities, some activities such as reprocessing, recycling and production of bare fuel rods expose the workers to mixed neutron-photon fields. For several workplaces, particularly in glove boxes, some workers expose their hands to mixed fields. The mastery of the photon extremity dosimetry is relatively good, whereas the neutron dosimetry still raises difficulties. In this context, the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has proposed a study on a passive neutron extremity dosemeter based on chemically etched CR-39 (PADC: polyallyldiglycolcarbonate), named PN-3, already used in routine practice for whole body dosimetry. This dosemeter is a chip of plastic sensitive to recoil protons. The chemical etching process amplifies the size of the impact. The reading system for tracks counting is composed of a microscope, a video camera and an image analyser. This system is combined with the dose evaluation algorithm. The performance of the dosemeter PN-3 has been largely studied and proved by several laboratories in terms of passive individual neutron dosemeter which is used in routine production by different companies. This study focuses on the sensitivity of the extremity dosemeter, as well as its performance in the function of the level of the neutron energy. The dosemeter was exposed to monoenergetic neutron fields in laboratory conditions and to mixed fields in glove boxes at workplaces. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.