Analysis of dose distribution for heavily exposed workers in the first criticality accident in Japan.
The first criticality accident in Japan occurred in a uranium processing plant in Tokai-mura on September 30, 1999. The accident, which occurred while a large amount of enriched uranyl nitrate solution was being loaded into a tank, led to a chain reaction that continued for 20 h. Two workers who were pouring the uranium solution into the tank at the time were heterogeneously exposed to neutrons and gamma rays produced by nuclear fission. Analysis of dose distributions was essential for the understanding of the clinical course observed in the skin and organs of these workers. We developed a numerical simulation system, which consists of mathematical human models and Monte Carlo radiation transport programs, for analyzing dose distributions in various postures and applied the system to the dose analysis for the two workers. This analysis revealed the extreme heterogeneity of the doses from neutrons and gamma rays in the skin and body, which depended on the positions and postures of the workers. The detailed dose analysis presented here using color maps is indispensable for an understanding of the biological effects of high-dose exposure to a mixed field of neutrons and gamma rays as well as for the development of emergency treatments for victims of radiation exposure.
Endo
Akira
A
Department of Health Physics, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan. a.endo@popsvr.tokai.jaeri.go.jp
Yamaguchi
Yasuhiro
Y
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000528:radiation effects; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004630:Emergencies; D005355:Fibrosis; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D007564:Japan; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009502:Neutrons / Q000009:adverse effects; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011187:Posture; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012979:Sodium Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014501:Uranium
D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D012979:Sodium Radioisotopes; D014501:Uranium