An international comparison of continuous monitors measuring radon activity concentration was performed to validate the traceability of the European radon calibration facilities. It was carried out by comparing the secondary standards used by these previous facilities, ranging from 100 Bq·m-3 to 300 Bq·m-3. Secondary standards were individually compared to a secondary reference device previously calibrated in a reference radon atmosphere traceable to a primary standard. The intercomparison was organized by the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Protection (SUJCHBO) in the period from October 2019 to April 2020 within the European Metrology Program for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), JRP-Contract 16ENV10 MetroRADON. Eight European laboratories participated in this study. The results of the experiment are presented and discussed.
About 26 000 patients are treated per year with radiotherapy for non-malignant diseases in the Czech Republic. Approximately 75% of them are treated on X-ray therapy units and most of these patients undergo radiotherapy of heel spurs. The evaluation of radiation exposure of these patients was based on measured organ doses and on data from clinical practice. Collective effective doses for particular diagnoses were calculated in order to compare doses resulting from different diagnoses treated on X-ray therapy units. The collective effective dose from radiotherapy of heel spurs in the Czech Republic in 2013 was evaluated to 77 manSv. It represents 25.6% of the total collective effective dose for all diagnoses of radiotherapy for non-malignant diseases treated on X-ray therapy units.
- MeSH
- Radiotherapy Dosage MeSH
- Phantoms, Imaging * MeSH
- Organs at Risk radiation effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring methods MeSH
- Heel Spur radiotherapy MeSH
- Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted methods MeSH
- Radiation Exposure analysis MeSH
- X-Ray Therapy methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
The aim of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using detectors based on LaBr3(Ce) scintillation crystal as part of gamma spectrometry systems for field use and possibly as part of a monitoring network around nuclear power plants, i.e. whether LaBr3(Ce) detectors can follow the classical scintillation detectors based on NaI (Tl). For this purpose, the Monte Carlo simulation of the IPROL-1 probe response was performed in the simplified geometry of the radionuclides-contaminated atmosphere. A study shows that a LaBr3(Ce)-based probe is usable for this purpose and results are at least comparable to those with a conventional NaI (Tl)-based probe.
- MeSH
- Radiation Dosage MeSH
- Fukushima Nuclear Accident MeSH
- Nuclear Power Plants * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Monte Carlo Method MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring instrumentation methods MeSH
- Computer Simulation * MeSH
- Radiation Exposure analysis MeSH
- Air Pollutants, Radioactive analysis MeSH
- Gamma Rays MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The extraction of dissolved radon from water to gas is the most common way to measure radon concentration in water continuously. The response delay of continuous radon-in-water detection system (continuous monitor + equilibrator) is influenced by the response time of the continuous monitor and a rate of an establishment of equilibrium in the equilibrator (exchanger unit). Two types of equilibrators were used in performed experiments to compare the response time of various detection systems-RAD AQUA that uses water spraying and equilibrator with ACCUREL® PP membrane that enables radon diffusion. Each of these was connected to the continuous monitor RAD7 or RM-3. The response delay after turning on the water flow through the equilibrator was determined. The fastest detection system was RAD7 + RAD AQUA that was subsequently tested during the insitu measurement of thermal water in the healing spa and water sources near Cheb and České Budějovice.
- MeSH
- Laboratories standards MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring instrumentation methods MeSH
- Water Pollutants, Radioactive analysis MeSH
- Radon analysis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Comparative Study MeSH
Thunderstorm ground enhancement (TGE) is a phenomenon that enhances radiation background on the ground related to thunderstorm activity and charge structure of the thundercloud. On the other hand, the rise of gamma background is connected with precipitation by the washout of radon progeny from the atmosphere. In our analysis, we examined known enhancements of gamma background, previously attributed solely to radon progeny, using data from the Czech Radiation Monitoring Network (RMN) to investigate the enhancements with respect to thunderstorms and TGE phenomena. We also used radar precipitation data and data from the lightning location network to analyze their influences on the radiation background enhancement during three thunderstorm events that occurred in summer 2016 over the Czech Republic (Central Europe). We state that the RMN might have detected TGE over the Czech Republic.
- MeSH
- Atmosphere MeSH
- Radon Daughters analysis MeSH
- Rain * MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring instrumentation methods MeSH
- Weather * MeSH
- Radon analysis MeSH
- Seasons MeSH
- Gamma Rays MeSH
- Geography MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Track-etched detectors are commonly used also for radiation monitoring onboard International Space Station. To be registered in track-etched detectors, the particle needs to meet several criteria-it must have linear energy transfer above the detection threshold and strike the detector's surface under an angle higher than the so-called critical angle. Linear energy transfer is then estimated from calibration curve from the etch rate ratio V that is calculated from parameters of individual tracks appearing on the detector's surface after chemical etching. It has been observed that V can depend on the incident angle and this dependence can vary for different detector materials, etching and evaluating conditions. To investigate angular dependence, detectors (Harzlas TD-1) were irradiated at HIMAC by several ions under angles from 0° to 90°. The correction accounting not only for critical angle but also for dependence of V on the incident angle is introduced and applied to spectra measured onboard International Space Station.
- MeSH
- Radiation Dosage MeSH
- Ions MeSH
- Calibration MeSH
- Spacecraft * MeSH
- Cosmic Radiation MeSH
- Space Flight instrumentation MeSH
- Linear Energy Transfer MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring instrumentation methods MeSH
- Thermoluminescent Dosimetry instrumentation methods MeSH
- Heavy Ions * MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Anomalies in the radon (222Rn) releases in underground environments are one of the phenomena that can be observed before earthquake occurrence. Continuous measurements of radon activity concentration, and of meteorological parameters that influence the gas emission, were performed in three Slovak and Czech caves during 1-y period (1 July 2016-30 June 2017). The radon activity concentration in caves shows seasonal variations, with maxima reached during summer months. The anomalies in the radon time series are identified using a combination of three mathematical methods: multiple linear regression, empirical mode decomposition and support vector regression. The radon anomaly periods were compared with earthquake occurrences in Europe. Coincidences between both phenomena were found, since all monitored caves reflect contemporaneous local tectonic changes. The results indicate that radon continuous monitoring could assist a better understanding of radon emissions, along active tectonic structures, during seismic events.
- MeSH
- Interrupted Time Series Analysis MeSH
- Caves * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring methods MeSH
- Gases analysis MeSH
- Soil Pollutants, Radioactive analysis MeSH
- Radon analysis MeSH
- Seasons MeSH
- Earthquakes statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
- Slovakia MeSH
The Exradin W1 plastic scintillator (Standard Imaging) was examined for measurement suitability in high-energy photon beams, high-energy electron beams and tomotherapy in terms of dose to water for reference fields. For photon beams, pulse repetition rate dependence, calibration stability, noise from the photodiode enclosure, detector motion during treatment, output factors, off-axis doses and percentage depth doses were tested. For electron and tomotherapy beams, energy non-dependence was verified. All features make the detector suitable in small and non-standards fields, and for electron beams.
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring instrumentation methods standards MeSH
- Plastics chemistry MeSH
- Radiotherapy instrumentation MeSH
- Scintillation Counting instrumentation MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Chemical laboratories of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic are part of the radiation monitoring network and participate in the radiation situation monitoring in the Czech Republic. Measurements in situ are crucial for monitoring the radiation situation in emergencies associated with the deposition of radioactive substances on a large area. Those data can be used for estimating a possible dose obtained either by staying in a contaminated area or by consumption of food produced in the area. For correct setting of device parameters (e.g. efficiency calibration), standard samples should be measured regularly. Unlike in laboratory, verification in field conditions is difficult. Therefore, a search for suitable reference areas containing a higher amount of 137Cs homogeneously dispersed after the fall of a radioactive cloud passing through our territory following the Chernobyl accident was conducted. Small airports in the East Bohemia regions were identified as suitable candidates.
- MeSH
- Chernobyl Nuclear Accident MeSH
- Radiation Dosage MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring methods MeSH
- Soil Pollutants, Radioactive analysis MeSH
- Radioactive Fallout analysis MeSH
- Cesium Radioisotopes analysis MeSH
- Spectrometry, Gamma methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Method of Monte Carlo simulation of gamma radiation fields in the vicinity of the cloud of air contaminated by the radionuclides from emergency leakage from nuclear power plant was designed and tested. Air kerma rates distributions as well as gamma field spectral distributions were calculated for the Gaussian cloud model, different atmospherical conditions and emergency scenarios source terms. Based on this model, the radiation doses in the aerial vehicle (helicopter) and its shielding properties in the radiation fields in cloud vicinity were evaluated with an aim to prepare a method providing data for planning adequate radiation protection of the personnel during airborne monitoring/interventions.
- MeSH
- Radiation Dosage MeSH
- Fukushima Nuclear Accident MeSH
- Nuclear Power Plants * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Monte Carlo Method MeSH
- Radiation Monitoring methods MeSH
- Computer Simulation * MeSH
- Air Pollutants, Radioactive analysis MeSH
- Environmental Exposure analysis MeSH
- Gamma Rays MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
