Re: FW: Dosimeters

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@ix.netcom.com>]

It sounds as if survey instrument fo some type is your answer, other 
than a "true" dosimeter. It is apparent that you are looking for 
some extremely low dose measurements, since you state that a TLD 
isn't sensitive enough. I don't necessarily agree with that 
statement, unless you are in fact, attempting to measure very low 
dose over a 1 day period. I guess the question that begs to be asked 
is, for what purpose are these measurements being made? There is 
obviously NO risk to the individuals being monitored, and, for all 
practical purposes, what is being measured isn't that much above 
natural background.  Why all the effort to measure a incremental 
"above background" exposure. It is also my opinion that due to these 
extremely low doses, that you will NOT obtain the precision you are 
looking for. The best solution, wear a good TLD over a couple of 
weeks (month) and determine the dose rate for specific areas, and, 
use a secondary instrument to measure dose rate. 

Be careful of electronic dosimeters. If you do use them, you better 
understand the associated problems that they exhibit in certain 
environements, dose rates as well as energy spectra.

------------------
Sandy Perle
Technical Director
ICN Dosimetry Division
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
Fax:    (714) 668-3111
  
sandyfl@ix.netcom.com
sperle@icnpharm.com

ICN Dosimetry Website:
http://www.dosimetry.com

Personal Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205

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