Application of a Monte Carlo lung dosimetry code to the inhalation of thoron progeny.
To determine radiation doses incurred by inhaled thoron progeny, the Monte Carlo radon progeny lung dosimetry code IDEAL-DOSE was adapted to the inhalation of thoron progenies, comprising the alpha-emitting nuclides 216Po, 212Bi and 212Po. Dose calculations for defined exposure conditions yielded a dose conversion coefficient (DCC) of 4.6 mSv WLM(-1) or 94.2 nSv (Bq h m(-3))(-1) when compared with a DCC of 3.8 mSv WLM(-1) if based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection Human Respiratory Tract Model. Bronchial doses were computed for different thoron progenies exposure conditions measured in a Bavarian half-timbered house and in a thoron experimental house at the Helmholtz Zentrum München. DCCs ranged from 4.9 to 12.9 mSv WLM(-1), depending on particle size, unattached fraction and fractional activity concentrations. For exposure-specific indoor aerosol parameters, the thoron progeny DCC is smaller than the radon progeny DCC by about a factor of 2.
Division of Physics and Biophysics, Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria werner.hofmann@sbg.ac.at.
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Hofmann
Division of Physics and Biophysics, Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria.
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Winkler-HeiI
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Fantanele Str. 30, Cluj-Napoca 400294, Romania.
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Truta
Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, Neuherberg 85764, Germany.
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Tschiersch
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011886:Radon / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon