Dosimetric and microdosimetric analyses for blood exposed to reactor-derived thermal neutrons
Thermal neutrons are found in reactor, radiotherapy, aircraft, and space environments. The purpose
of this study was to characterise the dosimetry and microdosimetry of thermal neutron exposures,
using three simulation codes, as a precursor to quantitative radiobiological studies using blood
samples. An irradiation line was designed employing a pyrolytic graphite crystal or —alternatively—a
super mirror to expose blood samples to thermal neutrons from the National Research Universal
reactor to determine radiobiological parameters. The crystal was used when assessing the relative
biological effectiveness for dicentric chromosome aberrations, and other biomarkers, in lymphocytes
over a low absorbed dose range of 1.2 –14 mGy. Higher exposures using a super mirror will allow the
additional quantification of mitochondrial responses. The physical size of the thermal neutron
fields and their respective wavelength distribution was determined using the McStas Monte Carlo
code. Spinning the...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - Category: Physics Authors: F Ali, J Atanackovic, C Boyer, A Festarini, J Kildea, L C Paterson, R Rogge, M Stuart and R B Richardson Source Type: research