A field deployable high-resolution urine gamma analyzer.
The Human Monitoring Laboratory has extended the use of its portable whole body counters to portable gamma spectrometers for urinalysis. The protocol tested measured a 120-mL sample in a polypropylene sample container for 5 min. Minimum detectable activities were estimated for 241Am, 57Co, 137Cs, and 60Co. The former is 113 Bq per sample, and the latter three are between 27-29 Bq per sample. Assuming an intake 5 d before the measurement, and all other parameters as default, the committed effective doses are 517 Sv, 76 muSv, 402 muSv, and 1.5 mSv, respectively. Clearly, this instrument can be used as a field deployable gamma spectrometer for urinalysis for activation and fission products, but actinides (and other low energy photon emitters) remain problematic.
Kramer
Gary H
GH
Human Monitoring Laboratory, Radiation Surveillance and Heath Assessment Division, Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, PL6302D1, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1C1, Canada. gary_h_Kramer@hc-sc.go.ca
Hauck
Barry M
BM
Capello
Kevin
K
D000576:Americium / Q000652:urine; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000652:urine; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D017785:Photons; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry*; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D000576:Americium