Dose Quantities and Techniques
Harmonization of Dose Quantities and Techniques
In view of the technical difficulties associated with occupational exposure assessment and in order to promote international harmonization, the IAEA has been assisting its Member States in their provision of appropriate occupational monitoring for protection purposes. The Agency has been organizing international and regional intercomparisons in the field of external and internal dosimetry since the early 80‘s.
The principal aims are:
- to facilitate the estimation of similarities or dissimilarities in the measurements of radiation protection quantities performed
- to foster exchanges of information and experience relating to the measurement of radiation protection quantities and to methods for estimating derived quantities
- to provide access to resources, which might otherwise not be available to some Member States, for the calibration of radiation protection monitoring devices
- to provide the opportunity to the Member States to report in those quantities in the frame of the international legal conventions in the field of Nuclear Safety
An IAEA safety related service was launched in 1999 for the harmonization of radiological quantities and units through Intercomparison of Radiological Measurements for Monitoring Purposes. The objective of this service is to provide national authorities with a mechanism for the intercomparison of radiological measurements that will ensure that their responsibilities for radiation protection are properly met as far as the assessment of radiation doses to workers and the public is concerned. This paper summarizes the organizational arrangements and the main technical findings for the most recent intercomparison events.
Intercomparisons, now available as a service to participating Member States (GC/43/RES/13, paragraph 10), allow participating dosimetry services the opportunity to evaluate their ability to assess:
Exposure due to External Radiation Sources
- Coordinated Research Programme on Intercomparison for Individual Monitoring - 2 Phases (1987-1992). "Intercomparison of Radiation Dosimeters for Individual Monitoring (Final Report of a Coordinated Research Programme, 1988-1992" (IAEA-TECDOC-704) order a copy
- Coordinated Research Programme Determination of Personal Dose Equivalent Hp(10) - 3 Phases (1996-1998) "Intercomparison for Individual Monitoring of External Exposure from Photon Radiation", IAEA TECDOC-1126
- Determination of Personal Dose Equivalent Hp(10), 1999:(Working Material available on request
- Determination of Hp(10) in mixed field neutron-gamma, 2002-2004 (Working material available on request)
Regional Intercomparison in Latin America, East and West Asia (Working Material available on request)
Exposure due to Intake of Radionuclides
- Intercalibration of In-Vivo Counting Systems using An Asian Phantom (1996-1998) - IAEA-TECDOC-1334
- Intercomparison and biokinetic model validation of radionuclide intake assessment (1996-1998) - IAEA-TECDOC-1071
- Measurement of gamma emitters in human urine samples (1999-2000) (Working Material available on request)
- Measurement of alpha emitters in human urine samples (2001-2002) (Working Material available on request)
- Direct measurement of radionuclides in simulated human organs (2001- 2004)
Several intercomparison events were organized in recent years covering all aspects involved in dose assessment due to external sources of radiation and intake of radionuclides. Some of them revealed significant differences in the approaches, methods and assumptions, and consequently in the results. The participants in such intercomparison exercises recognized the importance of these activities as evidence of good dosimetric performance for their quality management systems and related laboratory accreditation processes. They strongly stressed that the IAEA should continue acting as a focal point for fostering information exchange and training in all forms, focused on measurement and dosimetry techniques. The IAEA should take an active role in the establishment of a network of laboratories to be involved in internal dosimetry for radiation protection purposes. This networking would provide for better information exchange during any such project.
For further information please contact Rodolfo Cruz Suarez
