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.

Detectores de sulfato de cálcio ativado com cério IV e európio III utilizando o politetrafluoretileno (PTFE, Teflon®) free-flow como aglutinante (CaSO4:Ce,Eu + Teflon®) foram produzidos pelo método da estampagem, desenvolvido em colaboração com a empresa Tecnoflon, a partir de cristais crescidos de acordo com uma nova variação da rota da evaporação lenta, também apresentada nesse trabalho, com as concentrações de 0,16 mol% de Eu3+ e de 0,15 mol% de Ce4+ na solução ácida precursora. O modelo de dosímetro pessoal desenvolvido consiste em cinco detectores aderidos a um cartão de 30 x 48 mm de cloreto de polivinila (PVC) 95% opaco à luz na faixa do espectro eletromagnético que vai do infravermelho ao ultravioleta, idêntico aos cartões de identificação utilizados no IPEN, por uma tira de 10 x 35 mm de filme adesivo do mesmo material e foi submetido aos testes de aceitação descritos no regulamento técnico IRD-RT Nº 002.01/95, Desempenho de Sistemas de Monitoração Individual Critérios e Condições, sendo aprovado em todos os testes. Para a dosimetria clínica, os próprios detectores foram considerados dosímetros termoluminescentes e submetidos aos testes de aceitação descritos no código de práticas da Agência Internacional de Energia Atômica Technical Report Series Nº 398, Absorbed Dose Determination in External Beam Radiotherapy: An International Code of Practice for Dosimetry based on Standards of Absorbed Dose to Water, [TRS-398, IAEA, 2000] adotado como protocolo de dosimetria pela maioria dos hospitais, sendo igualmente aprovados nesses testes. Os dosímetros desenvolvidos podem ser utilizados para a monitoração individual externa e para dosimetria clínica, apresentando a diferenciação do tipo e da energia da radiação com que foram irradiados e a redução de custos como as principais vantagens em relação aos dosímetros termoluminescentes atualmente utilizados nessas aplicações. / Calcium sulphate activated with cerium IV and europium III using the free-flow polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon®) as bonder were produced by the stamping method, developed by the collaboration of Tecnoflon industries, from crystals growth according to a new variation of the slow evaporation method, also described in this study, with Eu3+ and Ce4+ concentrations of respectively 0.15 mol% and 0.16 mol% in the precursory acid solution. The developed personal dosimeter consist of five detectors adhered to a 30 x 48 mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) card 95% mat to light in the infrared to ultraviolet wavelengths, identical to the access cards used by IPEN staff, by a 10 x 35 mm adhesive strip of the same material and it passed the acceptance tests required by Brazilian national regulatory committee for appliance in individual monitoring of external exposure services. The own detector is considered a dosimeter as far as clinical dosimetry is concerned and it passed the acceptance tests suggested by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the Technical Report Series Nº 398, Absorbed Dose Determination in External Beam Radiotherapy: An International Code of Practice for Dosimetry based on Standards of Absorbed Dose to Water, [TRS-398, IAEA, 2000] adopted as the dosimetry protocol by most hospitals. Hence, the developed dosimeters can be applied in the individual monitoring for external exposure and in the clinical dosimetry, having the radiation type and energy differentiation and the cost reduction as the key advantages over the currently used thermoluminescent dosimeters in such applications.

Detectores de sulfato de cálcio ativado com cério IV e európio III utilizando o politetrafluoretileno (PTFE, Teflon®) free-flow como aglutinante (CaSO4:Ce,Eu + Teflon®) foram produzidos pelo método da estampagem, desenvolvido em colaboração com a empresa Tecnoflon, a partir de cristais crescidos de acordo com uma nova variação da rota da evaporação lenta, também apresentada nesse trabalho, com as concentrações de 0,16 mol% de Eu3+ e de 0,15 mol% de Ce4+ na solução ácida precursora. O modelo de dosímetro pessoal desenvolvido consiste em cinco detectores aderidos a um cartão de 30 x 48 mm de cloreto de polivinila (PVC) 95% opaco à luz na faixa do espectro eletromagnético que vai do infravermelho ao ultravioleta, idêntico aos cartões de identificação utilizados no IPEN, por uma tira de 10 x 35 mm de filme adesivo do mesmo material e foi submetido aos testes de aceitação descritos no regulamento técnico IRD-RT Nº 002.01/95, Desempenho de Sistemas de Monitoração Individual Critérios e Condições, sendo aprovado em todos os testes. Para a dosimetria clínica, os próprios detectores foram considerados dosímetros termoluminescentes e submetidos aos testes de aceitação descritos no código de práticas da Agência Internacional de Energia Atômica Technical Report Series Nº 398, Absorbed Dose Determination in External Beam Radiotherapy: An International Code of Practice for Dosimetry based on Standards of Absorbed Dose to Water, [TRS-398, IAEA, 2000] adotado como protocolo de dosimetria pela maioria dos hospitais, sendo igualmente aprovados nesses testes. Os dosímetros desenvolvidos podem ser utilizados para a monitoração individual externa e para dosimetria clínica, apresentando a diferenciação do tipo e da energia da radiação com que foram irradiados e a redução de custos como as principais vantagens em relação aos dosímetros termoluminescentes atualmente utilizados nessas aplicações. / Calcium sulphate activated with cerium IV and europium III using the free-flow polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon®) as bonder were produced by the stamping method, developed by the collaboration of Tecnoflon industries, from crystals growth according to a new variation of the slow evaporation method, also described in this study, with Eu3+ and Ce4+ concentrations of respectively 0.15 mol% and 0.16 mol% in the precursory acid solution. The developed personal dosimeter consist of five detectors adhered to a 30 x 48 mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) card 95% mat to light in the infrared to ultraviolet wavelengths, identical to the access cards used by IPEN staff, by a 10 x 35 mm adhesive strip of the same material and it passed the acceptance tests required by Brazilian national regulatory committee for appliance in individual monitoring of external exposure services. The own detector is considered a dosimeter as far as clinical dosimetry is concerned and it passed the acceptance tests suggested by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the Technical Report Series Nº 398, Absorbed Dose Determination in External Beam Radiotherapy: An International Code of Practice for Dosimetry based on Standards of Absorbed Dose to Water, [TRS-398, IAEA, 2000] adopted as the dosimetry protocol by most hospitals. Hence, the developed dosimeters can be applied in the individual monitoring for external exposure and in the clinical dosimetry, having the radiation type and energy differentiation and the cost reduction as the key advantages over the currently used thermoluminescent dosimeters in such applications.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer à l’estimation des risques radio-induits aux faibles débits de dose. Ce travail s’appuie sur la cohorte des travailleurs du nucléaire CEA-AREVA NC après prolongation du suivi jusqu’en 2004. Une revue études épidémiologiques chez les travailleurs du nucléaire a été réalisée durant la première année de thèse. Une quantification de la relation dose réponse a été effectuée pour le risque de pathologies cancéreuses et non cancéreuses par différentes méthodes statistiques. Les facteurs modifiants la relation dose-réponse pour le risque de leucémie associé à la dose ont été étudiés. Combinée à d’autres cohortes de travailleurs du nucléaire, cette étude permettra de quantifier plus précisément les risques associés à de faibles doses chroniques, afin de valider les hypothèses actuelles du système de radioprotection. / The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the health effects of chronic extern allow doses of ionizing radiation. This work is based on the French cohort of CEA-AREVA NC nuclear workers. A review of epidemiological studies on nuclear workers was conducted during the first yearof the PhD thesis. The quantification of the dose-response relationship has been carried out by different statistical methods. Modifying factors of the leukaemia dose-response relationship were studied. A combined analysis including the present cohort together with other nuclear cohorts could quantify more precisely the risks associated to low doses at low dose rates, in order to validate current underlying hypotheses of the radiation protection system