BARC/PUB/09/0480

 
  Beta, gamma contamination analysis of thermo luminescence dosimeter cassettes using geiger muller counting set up and gamma spectrometry techniques  
     
 
Author(s)

Prasad, S. K.; Sudheer, T. S.; Sahoo, L.; Vinayagam, Bhakti ; Kamble,  Mahesh; Khuspe, R. K.; Rekha, Anilkumar ; Verma, K. K.

ABSTRACT

b, g Contamination check up of TLD) cassettes were carried out and the Isotopes found were 137Cs, 106Ru, 60Co, 64Cu, 144Ce and 95Nb with activity per square cm varying from 0.05 -4.70 Bq/cm2 with median value 1.3. The assessed dose In TLI) was in the range of 2.10 mSv to 22.05 mSv for  beta, 0.05  mSv to 5.25 mSv for gamma. The beta doses have median value of 6.19mSv. This contamination may be due to active water contamination 011 TLD's of personnel working for irradiated file1 handling or work in fuel rod ( under water) storage area. This gives a method to estimate skin exposure of personnel due to skin contamination during work Chances of getting  TLD's contamination to various reasons were studied. Contamination was found maximum inside the cassette box having area 16cm2. In  case of plastic pouch of TLD disc contamination was detected in three cases. Contamination level on TLD cassettes using  G M counter was found in the range of' 0.30-3.6 Bq/cm2 for cassettes.  By opening the window of' the surveyrneter contamination and field of these cassettes in closed condition were found to Increase  by 20% due to the rneasurement  beta dose. With  the same condition contamination of TLD cassette in open condition was find  five times more. This is due to the a'-contamination which is five times more than a'-contamination. The most prominent  isotope 137Cs can lead to intake in addition to skin dose. Fading studies of contamination of TLD cassettes were carried out. It was found negligible after counting with GM counting set up after a period of  3  months. But one of the TLD cassettes was showing an 80% reduction of contamination after 3 months with GM counting set up, the contaminants  being 141Ce, 103Ru and 95Nb. The gamma peaks in  the external exposure are due to external exposure in specific work during the period. 60Co is an activation product by activation of pipe line  corrosion parts, while 64Cu, a position  emitter is   an activation product formed from  63Cu from the tubing  used in primary coolant water system. Beta contamination dose conversion factor of 2 mSv/ Rq/cm2 is arrived at,  for a period of  1 month.

 
 
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