Nuclear track detectors evaluation for radon activity concentration measurements

Area of Science:

• Metrology
• Radiation Detection
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Radon (²²²Rn) monitoring is crucial for radiation safety.
• Nuclear track detectors offer a method for assessing radon exposure.
• Standardized calibration procedures are needed for accurate detector responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the response of solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) to radon.
• To develop a working procedure for SSNTD calibration in a radon chamber.
• To establish calibration services for nuclear track detectors.

Main Methods:

• Prepared a radon source from a ²²⁶Ra Pylon.
• Exposed TASTRACK PADC SSNTDs and an AlphaGuard DF2000 reference monitor in a radon chamber.
• Processed SSNTDs using chemical etching and an optical system (TASLImage) for exposure determination.

Main Results:

• SSNTDs demonstrated good agreement (±10%) with the reference radon monitor.
• The developed procedure enables accurate radon activity concentration measurements.
• Validation of SSNTD performance for radon monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory (LMRI) successfully evaluated SSNTD responses to radon.
• The developed calibration procedure is effective for radon monitoring applications.
• LMRI is poised to offer new calibration services for nuclear track detectors.