NUKLEONIKA 2006, 51(Supplement 1):s95-s100

 


EPR STUDY ON BIOMINERALS AS MATERIALS FOR RETROSPECTIVE DOSIMETRY



Jarosław Sadło1, Jacek Michalik1, Wacław Stachowicz1, Grażyna Strzelczak1,
Anna Dziedzic-Gocławska2, Kazimierz Ostrowski2

1 Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, 16 Dorodna Str., 03-195 Warsaw, Poland
2 Medical University of Warsaw, 5 Chałubińskiego Str., 02-004 Warsaw, Poland


Stable paramagnetic species, induced by irradiation in biominerals, can be successfully used as an EPR dosimeter in numerous domains of scientific activity. In hydroxyapatite, the main mineral component of bones, the most stable signal is assigned to CO2- ion radical. The signal is dose dependent and allows to determine the absorbed dose in a wide range till
20 kGy, with detection limit for tooth enamel below 1 Gy. The additive dose method was applied to EPR dating of archeological objects and EPR dosimetry after accidental overexposing during radiotherapy. It was found that the age of remains excavated from the "tomb of giants" belonging to Nuraghic culture developed in Sardinia island is about 3160 years old (1160 years BC). The dose obtained by patients during the accident at the Białystok Oncological Center was evaluated at about 75 Gy. Searching for potential dosimeters among other biominerals shows that mollusc shells have very promising properties. The lowest dose detection limit was found for an Arcidae shell. Both fresh water and sea mollusc shells are useful to be used for dosimetry in the low dose range.


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