Abstract

Purpose

Uncertainties regarding the magnitude of health effects following exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation remain a matter of concern both for professionals and for the public. There is consensus within the international radiation research community that more research is required on biological effects of radiation doses below 100 mGy applied at low dose rates. Moreover, there is a demand for increasing education and training of future radiation researchers and regulators. Research, education and training is primarily carried out at universities but university-based radiation research is often hampered by limited access to radiation sources. The aim of the present report is to describe small and cost-effective low activity gamma and alpha sources that can easily be installed and used in university laboratories.

Methods and results

A gamma radiation source was made from an euxenite-(Y) rock (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)₂O₆) that was found in an abandoned mine in Sweden. It allows exposing cells grown in culture dishes to radiation at a dose rate of 50 µGy/h and lower. Three alpha sources were custom-made and yield a dose rate of 1 mGy/h each. The construction, dosimetry and cellular effects of the sources are described.

Conclusions

We hope that the report will stimulate research and training activities in the low dose field by facilitating access to radiation sources.

中文翻译：

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小就是美：用于小规模辐射防护研究实验的低活性 alpha 和 gamma 源

摘要

目的

暴露于低剂量电离辐射后健康影响程度的不确定性仍然是专业人员和公众关注的问题。国际辐射研究界一致认为，需要对低剂量率下 100 mGy 以下辐射剂量的生物效应进行更多研究。此外，需要增加对未来辐射研究人员和监管者的教育和培训。研究、教育和培训主要在大学进行，但以大学为基础的辐射研究往往因获得辐射源的机会有限而受阻。本报告的目的是描述可以在大学实验室中轻松安装和使用的小型且具有成本效益的低活度伽马和阿尔法源。

方法和结果

伽马辐射源是由在瑞典的一个废弃矿井中发现的软岩 (Y) 岩石 (Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti) ₂ O ₆ ) 制成的。它允许将培养皿中生长的细胞暴露在剂量率为 50 µ Gy/h 或更低的辐射中。三个 alpha 源是定制的，每个产生的剂量率为 1 mGy/h。描述了源的构造、剂量学和细胞效应。

结论

我们希望该报告将通过促进获取辐射源来刺激低剂量领域的研究和培训活动。