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Title: A solution for 40 K interference from K internal to the human body, in an underground high sensitivity whole body counter at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM, USA

Journal Article · · Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences
 [1];  [2]
  1. New Mexico State Univ., Carlsbad, NM (United States). Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC)
  2. The NORM Group, Guelph, ON (Canada)
+ Show Author Affiliations

The objective of the present work is to find a solution for the interference arising from 1461 keV photons emitted by 40K in natural K internal to the human body in the detection of 241Am and 210Pb activities at the level of 37 mBq (1 pCi). The response of a broad energy Ge (BEGe) reference crystal to 1461 keV photons was simulated using GEANT4 code. Simulations were performed for a point source without and with shielding, as well as for a Bottle Manikin Absorption (BOMAB) phantom in the shielded whole-body counting chamber (WBC). The WBC facility is located underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM, USA. The simulation results were discussed with regards to the interference in detecting the 241Am and 210Pb at the level of 37 mBq (1 pCi). The specific conclusion is that the interference counts from 40K activity at the natural levels present in the human body in typical clinical settings were found to be greater than the 210Pb and 241Am signal counts from 37 mBq (1 pCi), when a 38.1 mm diameter, 25.4 mm thick BEGe reference crystal was used. Our solution for minimizing the interference to the desired precision at the specified levels was found by sacrificing the broad energy response of the counting system.

Research Organization:
New Mexico State Univ., Carlsbad, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
Grant/Contract Number:
EM0002423
OSTI ID:
1509477
Journal Information:
Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, Vol. 10, Issue 4; ISSN 1687-8507
Publisher:
Egyptian Society of Radiation Sciences and ApplicationsCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (14)

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Further considerations for the setting up of a low background whole-body counter for internal dosimetry at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Carlsbad, NM, USA: transmitted photon component journal September 2014
Body potassium content and 40K radiation dose to Iranian subjects journal May 2003
A simple calibration of a whole-body counter for the measurement of total body potassium in humans
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journal October 1992
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journal July 2003

Figures / Tables (5)

Fig. 1.(p. 3)figure Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.(p. 4)figure Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.(p. 4)figure Fig. 3.
Table 1(p. 5)table Table 1
Table 2(p. 6)table Table 2

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Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
Interdisciplinary application
BOMAB phantom
Gamma-ray spectroscopy
Ge detector
Radiation shielding
Whole-body counter
40K gamma-ray interference