The 2019-2020 EURADOS WG10 and RENEB Field Test of Retrospective Dosimetry Methods in a Small-Scale Incident...

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Protection
• Dosimetry

Background:

• Accidental or malicious use of ionizing radiation necessitates reliable retrospective dosimetry methods.
• Existing biological (chromosome/DNA analysis) and physical (TL/OSL, EPR) methods require validation under realistic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate retrospective dosimetry methods in simulated real-life accident scenarios.
• To assess the accuracy of dose estimation using blood and fortuitous materials.
• To compare method performance against reference dosimetry and simulations.

Main Methods:

• A field test was conducted using a 1.36 TBq 192Ir source irradiating anthropomorphic phantoms.
• Materials for accident dosimetry (blood, mobile phones) and reference dosimeters (LiF, NaCl, glass) were used.
• Dose estimations were compared with reference measurements and Monte Carlo simulations.

Main Results:

• Preliminary outcomes from the 2019 field test are described.
• The test provided valuable experience in planning and executing dosimetry exercises.
• Data was gathered for analysis to evaluate retrospective dosimetry techniques.

Conclusions:

• Field tests are essential for developing and validating retrospective dosimetry methods.
• Experience gained will inform future exercises regarding time management, radiation safety, and reference dosimetry.
• This work contributes to enhancing the reliability of individual radiation exposure reconstruction.