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Design and development of a plastic scintillator based whole body β/γ contamination monitoring system

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Abstract

Plastic scintillation detectors based whole body β/γ contamination monitors are developed for use in radiation facilities. This microcontroller-based multi-detector system uses 13 plastic scintillator detectors, with minimized dead detection zones, monitoring the whole body, and conforming to the contamination limit prescribed by the regulatory authority. This system has the features for monitoring hands, feet, head, and face β/γ using contamination monitors and portal exit monitors. It can detect gamma sources at a dose rate of 10 nGyh−1. The system is calibrated using β sources 90Sr/90Y, 204Tl, and 36Cl, and the efficiency is found to be 29%, 22%, and 18%, respectively. The minimum detectable β/γ contamination is 0.15 Bqcm−2, which is significantly less than the minimum detection objectives on head, face, hands, and feet.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the guidance and encouragement given by Shri Suresh Babu, Director, HS&E Group, BARC during this study. We thank our colleagues Smt. Yogita Nivalkar, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, Smt. Megha Alat, and Shri C Andrew for their support and cooperation during the course of this development work. We also appreciate the help rendered by our colleagues Shri Kailash Gharat and Shri Chintaman Gaikwad in finalizing the concept. We thank our colleagues at the RSSD workshop Kailas Belwalkar, Shri Nitin Ghaitadake, Shri D. N. Patil, and Shri Pratap Patil, for the fabrication of the mechanical assembly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Safety Systems Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Vaishali M. Thakur, Amit Jain, Rekha Anilkumar, Pravin Sawant & Probal Chaudhury

  2. Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    P. Ashokkumar

  3. Department of Physics, Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India

    L. M. Chaudhari

Authors
  1. Vaishali M. Thakur
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  2. Amit Jain
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  3. P. Ashokkumar
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  4. Rekha Anilkumar
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  5. Pravin Sawant
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  6. Probal Chaudhury
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  7. L. M. Chaudhari
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Contributions

All authors VMT, AJ, PA, RA, PS, PC and LMC contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation by VMT, AJ, PA and PS. Data collection by VMT and PS. Analysis were performed by VMT, PA and RA. The first draft of the manuscript was written by VMT. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Vaishali M. Thakur.

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Thakur, V.M., Jain, A., Ashokkumar, P. et al. Design and development of a plastic scintillator based whole body β/γ contamination monitoring system. NUCL SCI TECH 32, 47 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-021-00883-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-021-00883-1

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