Biological effectiveness of neutron irradiation on animals and man

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5617577

Straume, T

Neutron experiments on a highly radiosensitive in vivo system - oocytes in mice - provide new insight into the nature of the radiosensitive targets of these important cells. With the radiobiological literature as background, neutron data from animals and humans (including studies by the author using reevaluated Hiroshima-Nagasaki dosimetry) are integrated, and the controversial question of radiation protection standards for neutrons is addressed. Oocyte killing in juvenile mice by 0.43-MeV, /sup 252/Cf-fission, and 15-MeV neutrons, compared with that by /sup 60/Co gamma rays, yields unusually low neutron RBEs (relative biological effectiveness). Study of the neutron literature reveals that factors most important in influencing neutron RBE are dose and biological endpoint. Using various approaches, a value for the neutron Quality Factor much lower than 100 which has been suggested. With the large uncertainty, 17 is not markedly different from the value of 10 presently in general use.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Davis (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5617577
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CELL KILLING
COBALT 60
COBALT ISOTOPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
GAMMA RADIATION
GERM CELLS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MICE
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OOCYTES
QUALITY FACTOR
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RBE
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES