Detectable dose time windows and uncertainty analysis for internal dose assessment from spallation source radionuclides

Consequence assessments of an accidental release from the European Spallation source (ESS) show that workers present on-site and subjects in the vicinity of the ESS facility may be affected by internal contamination of especially alpha emitting 148Gd and gamma emitters such as W-187, Hf-172, Ta-182, including also radioiodine such as I-125. The objective of the proposed PhD project is to investigate which radiometric measurements need to be conducted to predict, monitor, and follow-up the internal doses from accidentally particles from h tungsten target area of the ESS to workers and to members of the public. The three main areas of the PhD project work are:

1.1 Characterizing the source term in terms of particle size distribution and radionuclide composition

1.2 Feasibility of whole-body counting for dose assessment of gamma emitters released from the ESS target station

1.3 Feasibility of internal dose assays of alpha, beta, and gamma emitters using excretion samples


Relevance: In case of an accidental release of spallation products, monitoring programs for internal exposure to both workers at the site and members of the public need to be designed. The feasibility of different methods for internal dose assessment therefore needs to be investigated.