RED² NSSPI student evaluates exposure rates for triage following fission product release events

Check out our latest publication in the Health Physics Journal co-authored by RED² and NSSPI Ph.D. student, Ethan Asano. In the event of a radiological incident, the release of fission products into the surrounding environment and the ensuing external contamination present a challenge for triage assessment by emergency response personnel. Reference exposure rate and skin dose rate calibration data for emergency response personnel are currently lacking for cases where receptors are externally contaminated with fission products.

Mathematical skin phantoms were created using surface area and height specifications from International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 89. Simulations were conducted using Monte Carlo radiation transport code using newborn, 1-y-old, 5-y-old, 10-y-old, 15-y-old, and adult phantoms for 22 photon-emitting radionuclides. Exposure rate coefficient data were employed in a case study simulating the radionuclide inventory for a 17 × 17 Westinghouse pressurized water reactor, following three burn-up cycles.

The resulting data can be used as calibration standards for triage efforts in emergency response protocols resulting in populations with external contamination. This work was conducted under the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

For further information on radiological emergency response for both members of the public and professionals, check out the CDC website.