Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models

Radiation exposure due to all-natural sources amounts to about 2.4 mSv per year. However, this amount might be changed to over 3 mSv y−1 according to the recently introduced ICRP radon dose coefficient factor. Previously, the radon contribution to the total dose from natural sources was about 1.2 mS...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Amin Shahrokhi, Tibor kovács
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-09-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023070214
_version_ 1797669777666211840
author Amin Shahrokhi
Tibor kovács
author_facet Amin Shahrokhi
Tibor kovács
author_sort Amin Shahrokhi
collection DOAJ
description Radiation exposure due to all-natural sources amounts to about 2.4 mSv per year. However, this amount might be changed to over 3 mSv y−1 according to the recently introduced ICRP radon dose coefficient factor. Previously, the radon contribution to the total dose from natural sources was about 1.2 mSv y−1. However, after the latest introduced dose conversion factor by ICRP, this value could technically be increased to around 2 mSv y−1. This paper attempts to address the following questions: (i) whether reducing radon concentration to the recommended level could address concerns about radiation exposure in underground workplaces, and (ii) the effects of the difference between the epidemiological dosimetry models and realistic dose estimation. The actual dose conversion factor (DCF) was calculated using measured annual average unattached and equilibrium factors, ranging from 16 ± 9 to 25 ± 10 mSv·WLM−1. Then, the estimated inhalation dose, both from self-calculated DCF and the value reported by ICRP-137, was compared: 5.6 ± 0.7–7.6 ± 0.9 mSv y−1 and 3.3 ± 0.4–3.6 ± 0.5 mSv y−1, respectively. It can be observed that exposure to a radon concentration lower than the recommended level does not guarantee a lower dose than the recommended value. The estimated dose was at least two times greater than the dose using pre-estimated values from epidemiological dosimetry models, specifically in this case study. Further experiments in different underground working environments, excluding caves, are needed for more precise observations. It might also be time to update the data regarding the dose contribution from natural radiation sources, as the radon contribution increased according to ICRP.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T20:49:40Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7b7d66952292452b9a30479bdd9329c5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2405-8440
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T20:49:40Z
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Heliyon
spelling doaj.art-7b7d66952292452b9a30479bdd9329c52023-10-01T06:01:22ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-09-0199e19813Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry modelsAmin Shahrokhi0Tibor kovács1Corresponding author.; Department of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, Research Centre for Biochemical, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, 8200, Veszprém, HungaryDepartment of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, Research Centre for Biochemical, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, 8200, Veszprém, HungaryRadiation exposure due to all-natural sources amounts to about 2.4 mSv per year. However, this amount might be changed to over 3 mSv y−1 according to the recently introduced ICRP radon dose coefficient factor. Previously, the radon contribution to the total dose from natural sources was about 1.2 mSv y−1. However, after the latest introduced dose conversion factor by ICRP, this value could technically be increased to around 2 mSv y−1. This paper attempts to address the following questions: (i) whether reducing radon concentration to the recommended level could address concerns about radiation exposure in underground workplaces, and (ii) the effects of the difference between the epidemiological dosimetry models and realistic dose estimation. The actual dose conversion factor (DCF) was calculated using measured annual average unattached and equilibrium factors, ranging from 16 ± 9 to 25 ± 10 mSv·WLM−1. Then, the estimated inhalation dose, both from self-calculated DCF and the value reported by ICRP-137, was compared: 5.6 ± 0.7–7.6 ± 0.9 mSv y−1 and 3.3 ± 0.4–3.6 ± 0.5 mSv y−1, respectively. It can be observed that exposure to a radon concentration lower than the recommended level does not guarantee a lower dose than the recommended value. The estimated dose was at least two times greater than the dose using pre-estimated values from epidemiological dosimetry models, specifically in this case study. Further experiments in different underground working environments, excluding caves, are needed for more precise observations. It might also be time to update the data regarding the dose contribution from natural radiation sources, as the radon contribution increased according to ICRP.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023070214Occupational exposureEpidemiological dosimetry modelRadiation riskDose conversion factorEquilibrium factorRadon
spellingShingle Amin Shahrokhi
Tibor kovács
Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
Heliyon
Occupational exposure
Epidemiological dosimetry model
Radiation risk
Dose conversion factor
Equilibrium factor
Radon
title Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
title_full Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
title_fullStr Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
title_short Characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient - Realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
title_sort characterization of environmental radiological parameters on dose coefficient realistic dosimetry compared with epidemiological dosimetry models
topic Occupational exposure
Epidemiological dosimetry model
Radiation risk
Dose conversion factor
Equilibrium factor
Radon
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023070214
work_keys_str_mv AT aminshahrokhi characterizationofenvironmentalradiologicalparametersondosecoefficientrealisticdosimetrycomparedwithepidemiologicaldosimetrymodels
AT tiborkovacs characterizationofenvironmentalradiologicalparametersondosecoefficientrealisticdosimetrycomparedwithepidemiologicaldosimetrymodels