ESR OF SUGAR AS A PERSONNEL MONITOR FOR RADIATION EMERGENCIES

In the case of radiation emergency, a sugar method, with readout by electron spin resonance analysis as personnel monitor for the affected population, is proposed. Critical characteristics of the method are economics, universal availability and portability, with superior quantitative monitoring characteristics for ionizing radiation and relatively simplicity of the procedure for evaluating dose to individuals or to households after irradiation and readout using this widely available, compact monitor. The dose linearity of the sugar/ESR monitor is experimentally verified from about 3 cGy to 6 x 10(5) cGy and the dose detection limit is 0.5 mGy, with the limit of error of about 80% at the confidence level of 95%. A decrease in the number of the radiation-induced paramagnetic centers (free radicals) is not observed for irradiated sugar held at temperature up to 100 degrees C over about 90 min. It is observed that the free radicals cannot be detected from water solutions of the irradiated sugar. The sugar/ESR method is proposed as one of the most useful regional personal monitors for major radiation emergencies.