INSTRUMENTATIONS AND METHODS IN PERSONNEL RADIOLOGICAL MONITORING

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

5. PERALATAN DAN KAEDAH PENGUKURAN DAN PEMANTAUAN RADIOLOGI

(Silibus Standard Persijilan PPS - LEM/TEK/44 Sem. 3 Jadual 3)

5.1 Alat pemantau 5.1.1 Jenis pengesan sinaran 5.1.2 Jenis alat pemantau 5.2 Pemantauan personel 5.2.1 Alat pemantau sinaran luar 5.2.1.1 Lencana filem 5.2.1.2 Meterdos termo-pendarkilau (TLD) 5.2.1.3 Meterdos bacaan terus 5.2.2 Pemantauan sinaran dalaman 5.2.2.1 Kaedah bioassay 5.2.2.2 Kaedah pengukuran/ pembilangan seluruh badan 5.2.3 Penilaian/interpretasi data 5.2.4 Tentukuran dan kawalan mutu
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Scope
What is radiological/personnel monitoring? Why do we need personnel monitoring? What are the objectives of personnel monitoring? What do we need to monitor ? What are the personnel monitoring devices and how do they work? How do we ensure that the measurement we make are correct ? What are the procedures for using monitoring devices? How to interpret monitoring results ? What and why need to keep monitoring records?
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Introduction
The radiological monitoring programme covers both radiation and contamination and may consists of the following components:
Personnel monitoring Work place monitoring Environmental monitoring
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Introduction (Why Monitoring?)

Radiological monitoring is required to be established as prescribed in the Basic Safety Standards/Regulations with the following objectives: To assess the radiation exposure situation in compliance with regulatory requirements.

To verify the effectiveness of radiation protective measures provided at work places.

To identify occurrence of any abnormal radiation exposure situation in work places. To keep a constant surveillance over the working environment and to detect the quantity and extent of contamination.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Definition

- ATOMIC ENERGY LICENSING (BASIC SAFETY RADIATION PROTECTION) REGULATIONS 2010

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Objectives of Personnel Monitoring

To provide information on radiation dose received by workers. To observe the trends of exposure histories of individuals or groups of workers in order to assess the need for improved standards of radiation protection. To provide information in the event of accidental over exposure. To provide information about the condition of radiation level of workplace. To improve the workers attitudes toward radiation protection in order to reduce future exposures as a results of information given. To demonstrate the adequacy of supervision, training and engineering standards. To provide a record of information which may be needed for legal or epidemiological purposes.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

ATOMIC ENERGY LICENSING (BASIC SAFETY RADIATION PROTECTION) REGULATIONS 2010

22. (1) The licensee shall be responsible for arranging the assessment of the occupational exposure of workers on the basis of personnel monitoring, where appropriate, using the dosimetry services as approved by the appropriate authority. (2) The licensee shall carry out personnel monitoring for all workers who normally work in a controlled area, and workers who occasionally work in a controlled area but may receive significant occupational exposure. (3) Personnel monitoring shall not be required for any worker who normally works in a supervised area, or who enters a controlled area only occasionally, but the occupational exposure of the worker shall be assessed on the basis of the results of work place monitoring as described in regulation 21. (4) Personnel monitoring for external exposure shall be measured by the use of one or more approved personnel monitoring devices carried continuously on the person. (5) Doses received from internal exposures shall be evaluated using techniques and procedures approved by the appropriate authority. (6) The frequency of assessment under subregulations (4) and (5) shall be determined by the potential external exposure or potential internal exposure involved; and where the worker has or is suspected of having an accidental exposure or accidental intake of any radioactive material, nuclear material or prescribed substance, the assessment shall be carried out immediately.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
BSS require personnel monitoring to be carried out individually on personnel who work in controlled areas and selectively in supervised areas ?. Occupational exposure received by working personnel can be delivered by:
Sources outside the body, in the form of external radiation. Radioactive materials deposited in the body as a result of intake of radioactive contaminants while working with the materials.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
BSS require the radiation dose from external radiation and internal contamination to be added up to represent an individual dose in a year.
Special devices worn by personnel or used to measure the radiation dose received while working with radiation sources or working in classified areas.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Instrument
The basic interaction of radiation with matter is the excitation or ionization of an atom or a molecule. All detectors of ionizing radiation make use of ionization and excitation process.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Instrument
There are direct or indirect measurements of ionization. Selection of a specific measuring device depends on several factors including:
Relative intensity of the radiation. Required measurement accuracy.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Instrument
Two categories of Monitoring equipment;
Radiation Monitors, Contamination monitors

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Instrument
Radiation (dose)
Individual Area
WBC, Air Sampler Bioassay etc

Contamination (activity)
Individual Area

Surface cont. Film dosimeter TLD Beta Gamma Neutron Surv. meter Ion chamber Film dosimeter Dose Eq. Meter (Rem meter) GM Probe Film dosimeter TLD Survey meter installed monitor Smear

Airborne cont.

Pocket Dosimeter
Integrating dosimeter

Continuous Sample

Ion chamber

GM tube

Lab counters (GM tube, Sc. Counters

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel monitoring

External monitoring (the measurement of dose due to

sources outside the body)

Internal monitoring
(the measurement of dose due to sources inside the body)

Whole body monitoring

Partial body (extremity) monitoring

Whole body Counter (WBC) emitters.

Bioassay
Biological samples e.g. urine & faeces emitters LSC emitters Alpha Spectrometer.

1. Film badge TLD ring 2. TLD badge 3. Electronic Personal Note : Dose to extremities in case of dosimeters (EPD) handling of radioactive sources.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
Personnel Monitoring Instrument for External Radiation Called dosimeter. (Whats the different with dosemeter?) Used to measure radiation from sources outside the body. Required on personnel who work with all types of radiation sources except alpha, low energy beta and low energy gamma emitters.

Instrument used should be suitable to the type of radiation involved and the range of the radiation exposure level expected.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
Most commonly used dosimeters are film badges, Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLDs) badges and pen dosimeters. Device must be worn at the place that can represent whole body exposure. Additional dosimeter should be worn on parts of the body which is expected to receive higher radiation exposure than whole body dosimeter, e.g. TLD ring.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
Film Dosimeter Photographic emulsions mounted in plastic then wrapped in thin, light tight paper, sandwich fashion and placed in plastic holder called cassette.

Contains cutaway portions to allow the entrance of beta particles.

Contain various filters- usually copper, cadmium, aluminum and lead to help distinguish photons of different energies. Able to be clipped on workers clothing allowing the measure of total, or whole body, exposure and also the ability to distinguish the types, energy and direction of radiation.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Film Dosimeter
The emulsion consists of microscopic grains or crystal of silver bromide (AgBr) dispersed in a gelatin layer on either one or both sides of film base (cellulose acetate). Grains size 0.1 m 1 m. The radiation absorbed by individual silver crystal will cause a latent image which appear as dark image after chemical processing ( convert Ag+ ions to Ag atom). The darkening of the film is proportional to the amount of radiation and depending on the type of radiation quality. The darkening of the film can be measured by using densitometer. Dose to the film is determine by measurement of O.D. Optical density (O.D) values : 0 - 6

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Cross Section of Personal Monitoring Film

Polyethylene Black paper Film Emulsion 21 m Film emulsion 16 m Film base Black paper Film base Black paper Polyethylene

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Film Badges

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Film Badges

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Agfa-Gevaert Personal Monitoring Film

Sensitive film for detecting lower doses. Maximum dose : up to 50 mSv. Less sensitive film for detecting high doses. Maximum dose : up to 1 Sv.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Optical Density, D
Io D = Log 10 ------It
Io film It

Io the intensity of light measured in the absence of film. It the intensity of light transmitted through the film. Increasing film density decreases light penetration.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Densitometer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Thermoluminescence is a process in which materials emit light when they are heated. Certain thermoluminescence materials can be used as dosimeters because the amount of light emitted is proportional to the amount of radiation absorbed by the material before.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Substances (phosphors) that possess the property of thermoluminescence are nonmetallic crystalline solids (e.g. LIF; CaF2:Mn; LiB2O5:Mn; CaSO4.) Electrons in a crystal exist in distinct energy levels, called bands. When electrons in a crystal absorb energy, they move to higher energy band.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Electron Promoted to Conduction Band Moves to Trap

Conduction Band
e Electron Trap

BAND GAP

Hole Trap

Valence Band + e- e- e- e- e- e- e- eNational Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Electron Falls to Valence Band Causing Luminescence

Conduction Band Electron Trap eLight Photon

BAND GAP

Hole Trap e-

Valence Band

e - e- + e - e- e - e- e- e-

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

These excited electrons get trapped in a higher energy state until the crystal is heated to a specific temperature.

At that temperature, the electrons return to their normal or ground state, radiating their extra energy in the form of visible light photons.
The amount of light obtained is proportional to the energy absorbed by the crystal.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Two materials commonly used in TLD are:
lithium fluoride calcium fluoride

These materials consist of small crystal that can be used in a powdered form or molded into various shapes.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Two steps procedure in TLD First step
Expose the TLD material to the radiation.

Second step
Place the irradiated TLD material in a special reader unit.
o Unit heats the TLD material and measures the amount of light emitted during the heating process. o Heating frees the trapped electrons and allows them to drop to their normal low energy positions. o Energy difference between the two electron locations is given off in the form of light.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Light is measured by a photomultiplier tube in the TLD reader which is light tight. The output is a glow curve.
Signal from the photomultiplier tube is amplified and displayed on a digital meter usually in units of electric charge, microcoulomb (mC), nanocoulomb (nC) or directly as mSv, cGy, gray etc.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscene Dosimeter (TLD)

Advantages of TLD over films: Can be reused. Can be made tissue-equivalent i.e. the effective atomic number of tissue (7.8) is almost the same as LiF (8.2?) Not as sensitive to moderate heat as is film. More responsive to a wide photon energy range. More sensitive to radiation.

Disadvantages over film:

Expensive. Non-permanent record.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Monitoring
TLD

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Whole body

Extremity

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Thermoluminiscence Dosimeter (TLD)

Model : Harshaw 6600 for TLD Badges

Model : Harshaw 5500 for TLD chips

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Direct Reading Dosimeter

Simple ion-chamber personnel monitor shaped like a pen. Two kinds of ion-chamber monitors:

Self-reading pocket monitor: direct reading. Condenser-type pocket chamber: requires a separate device for both charging and obtaining results.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Direct Reading Dosimeter

Ionization Chamber Instrument for detecting ionizing radiation by measuring the amount of charge liberated by the interaction of the radiation with suitable gases.

Designed for measurement in low energy x-ray and electron beam.

Chambers consist of a volume of air located between two electrodes, mounted on insulating material.

Battery or any other power supply maintains an electric field between the positive anode and negative cathode.
Electrodes collect the ions formed within the air volume.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

PD - Structure
Eyepiece lens

Field lens

Graticule Object lens Ion chamber Fiber Frame

Main insulator Charging pin insulator

End cap

Fig. 5.2: Pocket dosimeter

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Electronic Personal Dosimeter

Model : Rad-60 dosimeter Detector type : Silicon diode detector Radiation type : x-ray & gamma ( 60keV 3 MeV ) Dose range : 0 Sv 9.99 Sv Dose rate range : 0 Sv/h 3 Sv/h Weight : 80 g including battery
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Direct Reading Dosimeter

Radiation penetrates the gas in chamber, entering through a thin gas-tight window.
Liberates electrons from the gas atoms, creating positive charged ions. Electric field present in the gas sweeps these electrons and ions out of gas.

Electrons moving to the anode and positive ions migrating more slowly because of their mass, towards cathode.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Internal Contamination

Required to be carried out on personnel who work with open or unsealed radioactive sources or in places where contamination is confirmed to be present. Radioactive materials can enter the body through:
inhalation; Ingestion; or the skin.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring Internal Contamination

Special instrumentation is used to assess the intake and retention of radioactive materials in the body.

There are two common methods used to determine the internal contamination namely: bioassay; and whole body counting
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Bioassay
Indirect method used to assess intake of radioactive materials into body.
Common method used to assess intake of alpha, beta and low energy gamma emitters, e.g. radium-226, strontium-90, phosphorus-32, tritium and iodine-125.

Examples of bioassay material, urine, faeces and sweat.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Bioassay
Once concentration and type of radionuclides in certain organ is determined, it is then converted into radiation dose using a mathematical model of human beings and the input data of standard human biological parameters. The measured concentration of radionuclides can also be traced back to the actual amount at the time of intake using the standard excretion rate of human beings and this estimated amount of intake can then be compared with the allowable Annual Limit of Intake (ALI) stipulated in the Basic Safety Standard.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Monitoring of thyroid

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Whole Body Counting

Direct method of measuring intake of radioactive materials into the body. Using a specially designed spectrum analyzer and counter system. System is made sensitive enough to detect and measure weak radiation Transmitted gamma radiation emitted by radionuclides deposited in a particular organ in body.

Two types of whole body counting system commonly used for the purpose of internal dose assessment:
chair type shielded room type
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Whole Body Counting- Chair Type

Shape of a chair with three detectors positioned in the directions that allow for optimum measurement of radionuclides deposited in three critical organs, namely lung, stomach and thyroid.
To minimize interference from the background radiation, the system is normally provided with adequate thickness of shielding material on both the detectors and the subject to be measured.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Whole Body Counting Sheilded Room

Shielded Room Type Low background counting room where the room is all around shielded from the background radiation. Ordinary gamma spectrometry system equipped with gamma analysis software. Measured concentration of radionuclides, traced back to the actual amount at the time of intake and compared with ALI. Calibration of the system is done using standard radiation sources on human phantom.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Whole Body Monitoring

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Personnel Contamination
Personnel Contamination Personnel contaminated externally is monitored using a portable radiation monitor or a fixed monitor called hand and foot monitor. All personnel working in radioactive work places must check for contamination on their body and ensure that they are clean before leaving the areas.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Procedures to Use Dosimeter

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Procedures
1. The user must wear dosimeter all the time when working with or around radiation. 2. The dosimeter should be placed at the body location i.e. between the waist and neck level. 3. The dosimeter must be worn only by the person whom it is issued . 4. The personnel should used the film dosimeter with the same identification number for the whole working life time or otherwise notified.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Procedures
5. Never use other types of dosimeter badge/holder other than recommended by the Nuclear Malaysia, 6. Never use a dosimeter without its holder. 7. Never use a dosimeter holder without a complete set of a filter.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Procedures
8. Never allow any objects to shield the front of the dosimeter. 9. Dosimeter should be protected against damage by heat, moisture, pressure and contamination. 10. Dosimeters must not be worn during nonoccupational exposure, such as during treatments with medical x-ray. 11. Dosimeters not in use should be stored in an uncontrolled area (radiation free).
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Procedures
12. Dosimeters shall be changed on a monthly basis. 13. Use new dosimeters at the beginning of a month. Return the used dosimeters for processing and dose evaluation. 14. Finger dosimeter should also be used if hands are likely to receive higher radiation exposure than other parts of body. 15. In cases of radiation accident or a higher dose is suspected, return the relevance dosimeter immediately to Nuclear Malaysia.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Data Interpretation
From Personal film dosimeter:
Minimum dose can be measured by film dosimeter = 0.2 mGy Minimum annual dose, 0.2 x 12 = 2.4 mGy (16% 3/10 ADL), a condition required for individual monitoring service If monthly dose is 0.5 mGy, Annual Dose received = 0.5 x 12 = 6 mGy (6 mSv), 12% of ADL
Note: 1 mGy = 1 mSv ADL = 50 mSv/y

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Record Keeping

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Record Keeping
Records need to be kept,
Personal details and his dosimeter, Exposure (LPTA/BM/5 section B) Calibration

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Record Keeping
The records kept with respect to all radiation activities represent the main proof that an authorized user has of his compliance with the radiation protection regulations.
These are important for legal purposes as well as for effective administration of the radiation-protection program.
National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

SUMMARY
There is a need to do personal monitoring as it is required by law. The aim to assess exposure of IR to personnel, Various types of dosimeter are available for internal & external monitoring, Procedures of using dosimeter should be followed thoroughly to ensure its effectiveness, Interpretation of results from monitoring records is necessary for further action, Records of personal monitoring are useful for various purposes.

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

Short Quiz

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

SHORT QUIZ
What is the different between Dosimeter and Dosemeter? Why do we need records keeping ? What do the active and passive methods of monitoring mean? Give examples for each method. What is the principle of detection in
Film badge TLD Quartz Fiber Electrometer (Pen Dosimeter)

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer

National Committee for the Certification of Radiation Protection Officer