Personal UV dosimetry by Bacillus subtilis spore films

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is known to be the most important risk factor for melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Until today it has been impossible to measure reliably UVR in the frame of epidemiological studies. The recent development of a spore film containing spores of Bacillus subtilis resulted in a new method of UV measurement by personal dosimetry. Methods: The practical application of dosimeters was tested in 18 study persons under different circumstances of UV exposure and in 4 different geographical regions. Results: Eleven children carried dosimeters on their shoulders for 1 day, playing in- and outdoors on a sunny day in summertime. Their whole-day values ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 minimal erythema doses (MED) per day with a mean of 0.71 MED (+/- 0.44). Four lifeguards in a public swimming-pool carried dosimeters on their shoulders for 11 days and received UV exposures ranging from 3.6 to 9.5 MED (mean 5.9 +/- 1.88). Three mountain guides with dosimeters attached to the lateral head in different mountain regions at 23 mountaineering activities received daily exposures of 4.44-17.07 MED (mean 11.9 +/- 3.8). Conclusion: B. subtilis spore film dosimeters can be applied to different study persons including children and mountain guides under different climatic conditions. A broad range of UV exposures can reliably be measured with this method. Copyright 2000 (R) S. Karger AG. Basel.