• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.61-70
• /
• 2020

Background: This study aims to assess whether the TSI PortaCount (Model 8020) is a measuring instrument comparable with the flame photometer. This would provide an indication for the suitability of the PortaCount for determining the workplace protection factor for particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Methods: The PortaCount (with and without the N95-Companion^TM) was compared with a stationary flame photometer from Moores (Wallisdown) Ltd (Type 1100), which is a measuring instrument used in the procedure for determining the total inward leakage of the particulate filtering facepiece respirator in the European Standard. Penetration levels of sodium chloride aerosol through sample respirators of two brands (A and B) were determined by the two measuring systems under laboratory conditions. For each brand, thirty-six measurements were conducted. The samples were split into groups according to their protection level, conditioning before testing, and aerosol concentration. The relationship between the gauged data from two measuring systems was determined. In addition, the particle size distribution inside the respirator and outside the respirator was documented. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the association between the PortaCount (with and without the N95-Companion^TM) and the flame photometer. Results: A linear relationship was found between the raw data scaled with the PortaCount (without N95-Companion^TM) and the data detected by the flame photometer (R² = 0.9704) under all test conditions. The distribution of particle size was found to be the same inside and outside the respirator in almost all cases. Conclusion: Based on the obtained data, the PortaCount may be applicable for the determination of workplace protection factor.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제46권1호
• /
• pp.14-23
• /
• 2021

Background: For radiological protection and control, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) provides the nominal risk coefficients related to radiation exposure, which can be extrapolated using the excess relative risk and excess absolute risk obtained from the Life Span Study of atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF). Materials and Methods: Since it is impossible to directly estimate the radiation risk at doses less than approximately 100 mSv only from epidemiological knowledge and data, support from radiation biology is absolutely imperative, and thus, several national and international bodies have advocated the importance of bridging knowledge between biology and epidemiology. Because of the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, the exposure of the public to radiation has become a major concern and it was considered that the estimation of radiation risk should be more realistic to cope with the prevailing radiation exposure situation. Results and Discussion: To discuss the issues from wide aspects related to radiological protection, and to realize bridging knowledge between biology and epidemiology, we have established a research group to develop low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation risk estimation methodology, with the permission of the Japan Health Physics Society. Conclusion: The aim of the research group was to clarify the current situation and issues related to the risk estimation of low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation exposure from the viewpoints of different research fields, such as epidemiology, biology, modeling, and dosimetry, to identify a future strategy and roadmap to elucidate a more realistic estimation of risk against low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation exposure.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제18권4호
• /
• pp.383-389
• /
• 2024

본 연구에서 전립샘암의 방사선치료기법 중 세기조절 방사선 치료 시 정상장기인 복부의 광중성자 피폭으로 인하여 2차 암이 발생할 확률을 분석하고자 한다. 전립샘암 방사선 치료계획의 설계는 일일 처방선량 220 cGy, 총 치료 횟수는 35회로 7700 cGy로 수립하였다. 실험장비는 Varian 사의 True Beam STx(Varian, USA) 선형가속기이다. 실험에 사용한 에너지는 15 MV로 치료 계획용 표적체적(Planning target volume; PTV)안에 광중성자 선량이 발생하도록 치료계획을 설계하였다. 방사선 치료계획은 Eclipse System (Varian Ver 10.0, USA)이며, 조사문수를 5 ~ 9개로 설정하였다. 조사각도는 0° ~ 320°에서 처방선량(prescription dose)영역에 95%가 설정되도록 설계하였으며, 각각의 조사문수당 소조사면(beamlet)은 100개로 설정하였다. 광중성자의 선량 측정을 위하여 본 연구에 사용한 광자극발광선량계는 알류미늄산화물 성분이 포함된 소자에 ⁶LiCO₃ 를 도포하여 중성자 선량이 측정 가능하도록 설계하였다. 세기조절 방사선 치료 시 복부의 광중성자 선량으로 인하여, 1,000명 기준으로 최소 7.07 ~ 11명이 2차 암의 발생확률이 있음이 연구되었다. 본 연구에서 세기조절 방사선치료 시 발생될 수 있는 2차 피폭선량의 위험성을 연구하여, 추후 방사선의 확률적 영향과 관련된 의미 있는 자료로 활용되기를 기대한다.