Biomedical subjects

K L Swinth

Publications and source records attributed to K L Swinth.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Doses to workers in the United States nuclear weapons program due to external irradiation at the dawn of the atomic era (1940-1960).

Radiation doses to workers at the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) sites due to external irradiation during 1940-1960 are reviewed. Categorized radiation dose data were available from AEC annual reports for some years. Annual individual radiation dose data for nine MED/AEC sites for all years were available from the U.S. Department of Energy's Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource. These data are combined to produce an estimate of external collective dose equivalent to 1,720 person-Sv for 1940-1960. During this period there were 19 criticality incidents; 41 persons in a workforce of several hundred thousand were accidentally overexposed in these and other incidents, including three men who died due to acute radiation syndrome.

Humans↗

PubMed1993

Evaluation of an alpha probe detector for in vitro cellular dosimetry.

This paper describes the design and testing of an alpha probe detector for the continuous measurement of the activity concentrations of alpha emitters in the culture media of in vitro cell suspension irradiation systems. The probe detector consists of a pen-size body housing a small silicon surface-barrier detector with a Mylar window. Theoretical calculations were performed to study the dependence of the alpha-energy spectrum on 1) the thickness of the Mylar barrier; 2) the Mylar-detector distance; and 3) the size of the detector window. These design parameters were selected by taking a compromise between the counting efficiency, the integrity of the detector, and its required range of application. The probe detector was tested using both chelated and unchelated 212Bi and 212Pb standard solutions; plate-out of these radionuclides on the Mylar barrier was observed for unchelated solutions. Alpha energy spectra were analyzed using a total integration technique. The measured activity concentrations and the calibrated values agree to within 4% for the chelated 212Bi and to within 6% for the unchelated 212Bi. The alpha probe detector can be used throughout an entire exposure time period to determine the total dose received by suspended cells, or at different time intervals to determine the dose rate in real time.

Alpha Particles↗

PubMed1988

Improving health physics measurements by performance testing.

Testing standards have been written to establish minimum performance requirements for personnel dosimeters, radiation survey instruments and bioassay laboratory measurements. These standards were subjected to experimental evaluation and to a consensus review to ensure that the requirements were practical. Programs have been established, using the personnel dosimeter standards, to improve and control the performance of dosimeter processors. Similar implementation of performance testing of instruments will improve reliability of field measurements. Initiation of a program based on the bioassay standard will improve the accuracy, precision, and detectability levels for measuring radioactivity in occupationally exposed workers. Evaluating the performance of health-physics measurement tools will improve the accuracy and precision of measurement and add to our knowledge of personnel exposures. Performance testing will become a more widely recognized tool for maintaining high-quality programs, and the concept will be applied to other measurements as well.

Biological Assay↗

PubMed1979