Calibration of a thermoluminescent dosimetry system to measure effective dose equivalent for 6- to 7-MeV gamma rays

Uncertainty exists as to expected responses of personnel dosimeters when worn in fields of 16N gamma's. Doses to internal organs are also not well known. Accordingly, the response of the Ontario Hydro (OH) TLD badge in terms of the effective dose equivalent (EDE) concept of ICRP Publication 26 was evaluated. Photons at 6-7 MeV were generated from accelerator protons using the 19F (p, alpha gamma)16O* reaction, which closely simulates a 16N-decay gamma field. A phantom containing more than 300 internal TLDs and wearing the OH TLD badges was exposed in stationary and rotational configurations. Ratios of organ dose equivalents (gonads, mean bone marrow, lung and thyroid) to chest badge exposures were 0.6-0.7 for the stationary (frontal) field and 0.7-0.9 for the rotational field. Ratios of EDE to chest badge were 0.60 and 0.77, respectively. The OH TLD badge (and other badges of the same design) will perform satisfactorily in a 16N gamma field under the EDE concept.