title: Measurement of UVA exposure to solar radiation.
abstract: Exposure to solar UVA (320-400 nm) radiation can damage DNA and lead to skin disorders. Conventional dosimetry using a single piece of polysulfone or diglycol carbonate (CR-39) cannot provide accurate measurement of the biologically effective irradiance for erythema for the UVA waveband. A package employing four dosimeters (polysulfone, nalidixic acid, 8-methoxypsoralen and phenothiazine) has been shown to be effective for use as a spectrum evaluator for evaluating the UVA source spectrum. In Brisbane, on a horizontal position, the spectrum evaluator requires about 5 min exposure in summer and about 20 min in winter. This amounts to about 10 mJ cm-2 of erythemal UV radiation.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Parisi
mesh_terms: D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018462:Photobiology; D011874:Radiometry; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*