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Hinton TG, Anderson D, Bæk E, Baranwal VC, Beasley JC, Bontrager HL, Broggio D, Brown J, Byrne ME, Gerke HC, Ishiniwa H, Lance SL, Lind OC, Love CN, Nagata H, Nanba K, Okuda K, Salbu B, Shamovich D, Skuterud L, Trompier F, Webster SC, Zabrotski V. Fundamentals of wildlife dosimetry and lessons learned from a decade of measuring external dose rates in the field. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 278:107472. [PMID: 38905881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Methods for determining the radiation dose received by exposed biota require major improvements to reduce uncertainties and increase precision. We share our experiences in attempting to quantify external dose rates to free-ranging wildlife using GPS-coupled dosimetry methods. The manuscript is a primer on fundamental concepts in wildlife dosimetry in which the complexities of quantifying dose rates are highlighted, and lessons learned are presented based on research with wild boar and snakes at Fukushima, wolves at Chornobyl, and reindeer in Norway. GPS-coupled dosimeters produced empirical data to which numerical simulations of external dose using computer software were compared. Our data did not support a standing paradigm in risk analyses: Using averaged soil contaminant levels to model external dose rates conservatively overestimate the dose to individuals within a population. Following this paradigm will likely lead to misguided recommendations for risk management. The GPS-dosimetry data also demonstrated the critical importance of how modeled external dose rates are impacted by the scale at which contaminants are mapped. When contaminant mapping scales are coarse even detailed knowledge about each animal's home range was inadequate to accurately predict external dose rates. Importantly, modeled external dose rates based on a single measurement at a trap site did not correlate to actual dose rates measured on free ranging animals. These findings provide empirical data to support published concerns about inadequate dosimetry in much of the published Chernobyl and Fukushima dose-effects research. Our data indicate that a huge portion of that literature should be challenged, and that improper dosimetry remains a significant source of controversy in radiation dose-effect research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Hinton
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan; CERAD CoE, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| | - Donovan Anderson
- Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan.
| | - Edda Bæk
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Østerås, Norway.
| | | | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Helen L Bontrager
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - David Broggio
- Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Justin Brown
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Østerås, Norway.
| | - Michael E Byrne
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Hannah C Gerke
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Hiroko Ishiniwa
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan.
| | - Stacey L Lance
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Ole C Lind
- CERAD CoE, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| | - Cara N Love
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Hiroko Nagata
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan.
| | - Kenji Nanba
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan.
| | - Kei Okuda
- Faculty of Human Environmental Sciences, Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - Brit Salbu
- CERAD CoE, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| | | | | | - François Trompier
- Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Sarah C Webster
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA.
| | - Viachaslau Zabrotski
- Republican Center for Hydrometeorology, Control of Radioactive Contamination and Environmental Monitoring (Belhydromet), Minsk, Belarus.
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El-Faramawy NA, El-Somany I, Mansour A, Maghraby AM, Eissa H, Wieser A. Camel molar tooth enamel response to gamma rays using EPR spectroscopy. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2018; 57:63-68. [PMID: 29027002 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-017-0718-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Tooth enamel samples from molar teeth of camel were prepared using a combined procedure of mechanical and chemical tooth treatment. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, the dose response of tooth enamel samples was examined and compared to that of human enamel. The EPR dose response of the tooth enamel samples was obtained through irradiation to gamma doses from 1 Gy up to 100 kGy. It was found that the radiation-induced EPR signal increased linearly with gamma dose for all studied tooth enamel samples, up to about 15 kGy. At higher doses, the dose response curve leveled off. The results revealed that the location of the native signal of camel tooth enamel was similar to that of enamel from human molars at 2.00644, but different from that of enamel from cows and goats. In addition, the peak-to-peak width (ΔH pp) for human and camel molar teeth was similar. It was also found that the response of camel enamel to gamma radiation was 36% lower than that of human enamel. In conclusion, the results indicate the suitability of camel teeth for retrospective gamma dosimetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A El-Faramawy
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt.
| | - I El-Somany
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - A Mansour
- National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, P.O.B 8029, Nasr City, Cairo, 11371, Egypt
| | - A M Maghraby
- Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards (NIS), P.O.B 136, Giza, 12211, Egypt
| | - H Eissa
- Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards (NIS), P.O.B 136, Giza, 12211, Egypt
| | - A Wieser
- Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Department of Radiation Sciences, Institute of Radiation Protection, Neuherberg, Germany
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Abstract
This paper revisits and reiterates the needs, purposes and requirements of biodosimetric assays for long-term dose and health risk assessments. While the most crucial need for biodosimetric assays is to guide medical response for radiation accidents, the value of such techniques for improving our understanding of radiation health risk by supporting epidemiological (long-term health risk) studies is significant. As new cohorts of exposed persons are identified and new health risk studies are undertaken with the hopes that studying the exposed will result in a deeper understanding of radiation risk, the value of reliable dose reconstruction is underscored. The ultimate application of biodosimetry in long-term health risk studies would be to completely replace model-based dose reconstruction-a complex suite of methods for retrospectively estimating dose that is commonly fraught with large uncertainties due to the absence of important exposure-related information, as well as imperfect models. While biodosimetry could potentially supplant model-based doses, there are numerous limitations of presently available techniques that constrain their widespread application in health risk research, including limited ability to assess doses received far in the past, high cost, great inter-individual variability, invasiveness, higher than preferred detection limits and the inability to assess internal dose (for the most part). These limitations prevent the extensive application of biodosimetry to large cohorts and should be considered a challenge to researchers to develop new and more flexible techniques that meet the demands of long-term health risk research. Events in recent years, e.g. the Fukushima reactor accident and the increased threat of nuclear terrorism, underscore that any event that results in significant radiation exposures of a group of people will also produce a much larger population, exposed at lower levels, but that likewise needs (or demands) an exposure assessment. Hence, the needs for retrospective dose estimation are likely to be greater in the future. The value of biodosimetry can be considerably enhanced with the development of new or improved methods, particularly with suitability for application at long periods of time after exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven L Simon
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - André Bouville
- Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
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Bailiff I, Sholom S, McKeever S. Retrospective and emergency dosimetry in response to radiological incidents and nuclear mass-casualty events: A review. RADIAT MEAS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Wieser A. Review of reconstruction of radiation incident air kerma by measurement of absorbed dose in tooth enamel with EPR. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2012; 149:71-78. [PMID: 22128353 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncr446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Electron paramagnetic resonance dosimetry with tooth enamel has been proved to be a reliable method to determine retrospectively exposures from photon fields with minimal detectable doses of 100 mGy or lower, which is lower than achievable with cytogenetic dose reconstruction methods. For risk assessment or validating dosimetry systems for specific radiation incidents, the relevant dose from the incident has to be calculated from the total absorbed dose in enamel by subtracting additional dose contributions from the radionuclide content in teeth, natural external background radiation and medical exposures. For calculating organ doses or evaluating dosimetry systems the absorbed dose in enamel from a radiation incident has to be converted to air kerma using dose conversion factors depending on the photon energy spectrum and geometry of the exposure scenario. This paper outlines the approach to assess individual dose contributions to absorbed dose in enamel and calculate individual air kerma of a radiation incident from the absorbed dose in tooth enamel.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Wieser
- Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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Zhumadilov K, Ivannikov A, Zharlyganova D, Zhumadilov Z, Stepanenko V, Abralina S, Sadvokasova L, Zhumadilova A, Toyoda S, Endo S, Okamoto T, Hoshi M. ESR dosimetry study for the residents of Kazakhstan exposed to radioactive fallout on 24, August 1956. RADIAT MEAS 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2011.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Spasojević I. Free radicals and antioxidants at a glance using EPR spectroscopy. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2011; 48:114-42. [DOI: 10.3109/10408363.2011.591772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Fattibene P, Callens F. EPR dosimetry with tooth enamel: A review. Appl Radiat Isot 2010; 68:2033-116. [PMID: 20599388 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2010.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
When tooth enamel is exposed to ionizing radiation, radicals are formed, which can be detected using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. EPR dosimetry using tooth enamel is based on the (presumed) correlation between the intensity or amplitude of some of the radiation-induced signals with the dose absorbed in the enamel. In the present paper a critical review is given of this widely applied dosimetric method. The first part of the paper is fairly fundamental and deals with the main properties of tooth enamel and some of its model systems (e.g., synthetic apatites). Considerable attention is also paid to the numerous radiation-induced and native EPR signals and the radicals responsible for them. The relevant methods for EPR detection, identification and spectrum analyzing are reviewed from a general point of view. Finally, the needs for solid-state modelling and studies of the linearity of the dose response are investigated. The second part is devoted to the practical implementation of EPR dosimetry using enamel. It concerns specific problems of preparation of samples, their irradiation and spectrum acquisition. It also describes how the dosimetric signal intensity and dose can be retrieved from the EPR spectra. Special attention is paid to the energy dependence of the EPR response and to sources of uncertainties. Results of and problems encountered in international intercomparisons and epidemiological studies are also dealt with. In the final section the future of EPR dosimetry with tooth enamel is analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Technology and Health, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy.
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Fattibene P, La Civita S, De Coste V, Onori S. Analysis of sources of uncertainty of tooth enamel EPR signal amplitude. RADIAT MEAS 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2007.11.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Alexander GA, Swartz HM, Amundson SA, Blakely WF, Buddemeier B, Gallez B, Dainiak N, Goans RE, Hayes RB, Lowry PC, Noska MA, Okunieff P, Salner AL, Schauer DA, Trompier F, Turteltaub KW, Voisin P, Wiley AL, Wilkins R. BiodosEPR-2006 Meeting: Acute dosimetry consensus committee recommendations on biodosimetry applications in events involving uses of radiation by terrorists and radiation accidents. RADIAT MEAS 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2007.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Abstract
ESR spectroscopy is currently taking root as a key technology in dosimetry, dating and imaging. In dosimetry, it competes with cytometry in the fields of biological dosimetry and retrospective dosimetry, leads in high-level reference and routine dosimetry, is high-ranking among the methods to identify radiation preserved foods, represents a method of choice to date geological, archaeological and paleontological materials back millions of years, and has demonstrated capacity for imaging. Further scientific and technological progress as predicted in the recent past (Appl. Radiat. Isot. 52 (2000) 1023) is reviewed here. Additionally, the review is expanded to include international reports and recommendations on ESR dosimetry and dose reconstruction, under way at the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the International Organisation of Standards (ISO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU). Emphasis is placed on interpretation of tooth enamel doses in terms of organ and effective doses, using CT-based virtual humans. The future of EPR spectroscopy for in situ dose measurements is noted, depicting a non-destructive in vivo dosimetry applicable directly to individuals, but also to hominid and animal fossils for direct dating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter F Regulla
- GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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