STUDY OF THE SUITABILITY OF ISRAELI HOUSEHOLD SALT FOR RETROSPECTIVE DOSIMETRY

Area of Science:

• Nuclear physics
• Materials science
• Analytical chemistry

Background:

• Common household salt is evaluated as a potential retrospective dosimeter.
• This is crucial for nuclear accident or terror attack scenarios.
• Ten Israeli salt brands were analyzed, focusing on market leaders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the practical potential of household salt as a retrospective dosemeter.
• To investigate the thermoluminescence (TL) properties and chemical composition of salt.
• To determine the dose response and fading characteristics for radiation dosimetry.

Main Methods:

• Thermoluminescence (TL) measurements of ten salt brands.
• Chemical analysis (ICP-MS/OES) for impurity profiling.
• Dose response and fading experiments under controlled conditions.

Main Results:

• Eight brands exhibited similar glow curves with peaks at ~176°C and ~225°C.
• Significant variations in trace impurities (Ca, K, Mg, S) were found, impacting TL response by ~50%.
• Fading under room light reached ~35% per day; dose response was linear/supralinear up to ~0.01 Gy.

Conclusions:

• Household salt shows potential as a retrospective dosemeter, but impurity variations affect accuracy.
• Fading and dose response linearity/supralinearity are key factors for practical application.
• Further research is needed to validate dose assessment accuracy under field conditions.