NUKLEONIKA 2006, 51(Suppl. 1):s95-s100
Jarosław Sadło1, Jacek Michalik1, Wacław Stachowicz1, Grażyna Strzelczak1, Anna Dziedzic-Gocławska2, Kazimierz Ostrowski2
1 Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology,
16 Dorodna Str., 03-195 Warsaw, Poland
2 Medical University of Warsaw, 5 Chałubińskiego Str., 02-004 Warsaw, Poland
Stable paramagnetic species, induced by irradiation in biominerals, can be successfully used as an EPR
dosimeter in numerous domains of scientific activity. In hydroxyapatite, the main mineral component
of bones, the most stable signal is assigned to CO2- ion radical. The signal
is dose dependent and allows to determine the absorbed dose in a wide range till 20 kGy, with
detection limit for tooth enamel below 1 Gy. The additive dose method was applied to EPR dating of
archeological objects and EPR dosimetry after accidental overexposing during radiotherapy. It was
found that the age of remains excavated from the “tomb of giants” belonging to Nuraghic culture
developed in Sardinia island is about 3160 years old (1160 years BC). The dose obtained by patients
during the accident at the Białystok Oncological Center was evaluated at about 75 Gy. Searching
for potential dosimeters among other biominerals shows that mollusc shells have very promising
properties. The lowest dose detection limit was found for an Arcidae shell. Both fresh water and
sea mollusc shells are useful to be used for dosimetry in the low dose range.