Room radiation dose coefficients for external exposure

Abstract

In instances where a building room is radiologically contaminated, dose rate coefficients are needed to estimate the dose rate to the occupants. One’s position in the room, whether in the center of the room or the corner, could have an effect on dose rate. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in Federal Guidance Report 12 (EPA 1993) dose rate coefficients for idealized exposure geometries, including exposure to radionuclides distributed infinitely in various thicknesses of soil. The dimensions of the exposure plane were taken to be infinite in extent. Due to this assumption, using the Federal Guidance Report coefficients could lead to an incorrect estimate of dose rate inside a contaminated room. In order to apply the published coefficients for a structure, we developed Room Ratios using MCNP5 to compare air kerma rate of various room sizes and multiple building materials to the published infinite air kerma rate taking into account several receptor positions. Room Ratio values will be used for preliminary remediation risk assessment for environmental radionuclide clean up and be integrated into existing online tools and databases (epa-bprg.ornl.gov). The incorporation of ratios into these tools will update dose coefficients that previously accounted only for surface contamination (Eckerman 2010). Additionally, Room Ratios will allow Federal Guidance Report 12 dose coefficients application to customizable building materials and thickness.