Analysis of ovarian dose of women employed in the radium watch dial industry: A macrodosimetric and microdosimetric approach
- Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Radiation and Cellular Oncology
- DePaul Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics
- Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental, Safety and Health Div.
In the 1920s, painters in the radium watch dial industry frequently tipped their brushes with their tongues resulting in the ingestion of radium-226 and/or radium-228. Earlier dosimetric studies (1950--1990) attempted to correlate the magnitude of biological effects (e.g., increased cancer incidence) with variations in radium uptake. Recently, there is a renewed interest on the part of epidemiologists studying additional possible effects (e.g., low birthrate and sex ratio). The goal of this work is to review and update the determination of dose to the ovaries from both external and internal radiation hazards in an attempt to correlate ovarian dose with these additional possible effects. The dose to the ovaries can be attributed to four major sources: (1) external gamma irradiation from the containers of radium paint; (2) alpha and (3) beta particle emissions due to sources which decay within the ovaries; and (4) internal gamma irradiation released throughout the body. Data obtained in earlier dosimetric studies on the quantity of Ra-226 and/or Ra-228 ingested were used in this study. Dose is estimated on a macroscopic scale by calculating the average dose deposited within the entire ovary. In addition, a microdosimetric analysis is performed which considers the statistical variation of energy deposited within individual oocyte nuclei. Sources of uncertainty, and the use of these data in new epidemiological studies are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 684486
- Report Number(s):
- ORISE-99-0164-Vol.1; CONF-960536-PROC.-Vol.1; ON: DE99002903; TRN: IM9943%%177
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. international radiopharmaceutical dosimetry symposium, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 7-10 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999; Related Information: Is Part Of Sixth international radiopharmaceutical dosimetry symposium: Proceedings. Volume 1; S.-Stelson, A.T. [ed.] [comp.]; Stabin, M.G.; Sparks, R.B. [eds.]; Smith, F.B. [comp.]; PB: 386 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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