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Microdosimetry of alpha-emitting decay products in tissue using conventional film autoradiography

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Abstract

Presented work describes a practical method using conventional photographic films; specifically, Ilford Pan F Plus 135–36, Black & White, ISO 50 film for obtaining images of alpha tracks. A variety of alpha radiation sources including electrodeposited planchets, Bomarc soil, and samples of bone containing 226Ra were placed directly on the film for up to 3 days. Post-exposure the film was developed using standard darkroom techniques with Kodak D-76 developer for 7 min, stop bath, and fixer. Tracks consisting of five or more grains were counted using an Olympus BX51 microscope at ×10 magnification in a 9 cm2 circular field-of-view. Initial analysis shows an efficiency of approximately 34.9 % with an uncertainty in track counts of ±2.4 % for the monoenergetic particles.

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Acknowledgments

The first author would like to acknowledge the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health for financial support during the performance of these studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Dynamic Systems, College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 598 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Nathan R. Schneider, S. E. Glover & Henry B. Spitz

  2. Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Zhongyum Dong

Authors
  1. Nathan R. Schneider
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  2. S. E. Glover
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  3. Zhongyum Dong
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  4. Henry B. Spitz
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Correspondence to Nathan R. Schneider.

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Schneider, N.R., Glover, S.E., Dong, Z. et al. Microdosimetry of alpha-emitting decay products in tissue using conventional film autoradiography. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 2029–2033 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4401-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4401-1

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