Measurement of absorbed doses from X-ray baggage examinations to tooth enamel by means of ESR and glass dosimetry

Radiat Environ Biophys. 2008 Nov;47(4):541-5. doi: 10.1007/s00411-008-0184-x. Epub 2008 Jul 23.

Abstract

The contribution of radiation from X-ray baggage scans at airports on dose formation in tooth samples was investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry and by glass dosimetry. This was considered important, because tooth samples from population around the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS), Kazakhstan, had been transported in the past to Hiroshima University for retrospective dose assessment of these residents. Enamel samples and glass dosimeters were therefore examined at check-in time at Kansai airport (Osaka, Japan), Dubai airport (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and Domodedovo airport (Moscow, Russia). These airports are on the route from Kazakhstan to Japan. Three different potential locations of the samples were investigated: in pocket (without X-ray scans), in a small bag (with four X-ray scans) and in large luggage (with two X-ray scans). The doses obtained by glass and ESR dosimetry methods were cross-compared. As expected, doses from X-ray examinations measured by glass dosimetry were in the microGy range, well below the ESR detection limit and also below the doses measured in enamel samples from residents of the SNTS.

MeSH terms

  • Artifacts*
  • Biological Assay / methods*
  • Dental Enamel / physiology*
  • Dental Enamel / radiation effects*
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Glass / radiation effects
  • Humans
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiometry / methods*
  • Relative Biological Effectiveness
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Specimen Handling / methods*
  • Travel
  • X-Rays