Detection of internally deposited actinides. Part II. Statistical techniques and risk analysis

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:4137255

Goans, R E

Since a considerable number of workers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory work with compounds of the transuranic elements, computer techniques have been developed to evaluate phoswich spectra in order to determine lung burdens following accidental inhalation of $sup 239$Pu, $sup 241$Am, $sup 244$Cm or other isotopes. Two unfolding methods which have been found useful in the analysis of such cases are presented and discussed. These techniques have been used successfully to detect low levels of $sup 239$Pu, $sup 241$Am, $sup 244$Cm, $sup 233$U, $sup 90$Sr, and $sup 153$Gd in contaminated workers; but because of the current importance of $sup 239$Pu, emphasis is placed on detection of that isotope in the presence of $sup 241$Am and natural human background. In the health physics tradition of emphasizing benefit vs. risk, we also analyze uncertainties inherent in external counting of the actinides from the viewpoint of statistical risk analysis and derive decision criteria which are useful in determining whether various radioactive species have, in fact, been detected. These criteria are somewhat different from those encountered using traditional counting statistics and derive from the realization that some errors will always be made in scanning large numbers of radiation workers. The optimum decision strategy for the determination of lung burden is, therefore, one which minimizes the long-term risk of error. The usefulness of this approach to whole body counting will be discussed and analyzed. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-33-009267
• OSTI ID: 4137255
• Report Number(s): CONF-760202--4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*AMERICIUM 241-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
*CURIUM 244-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
*GADOLINIUM 153-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
*LUNGS-- RADIATION DOSES
*PERSONNEL-- RADIATION PROTECTION
*PLUTONIUM 239-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
*STRONTIUM 90-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
*URANIUM 233-- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
500300* --Environmental Sciences
Atmospheric--Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport
COMPUTERS
CONTAMINATION
N44310* --Environmental & Earth Sciences--Radioactivity Monitoring & Transport--Atmosphere
RADIATION DETECTION
SPECTRA
STATISTICS