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. 2018 Mar;57(1):69-75.
doi: 10.1007/s00411-017-0725-2. Epub 2017 Dec 18.

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry in irradiated alumina substrates from mobile phone resistors

Therése Geber-Bergstrand  1 , Christian Bernhardsson  2 , Maria Christiansson  2 , Sören Mattsson  2 , Christopher L Rääf  2
Affiliations

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry in irradiated alumina substrates from mobile phone resistors

Therése Geber-Bergstrand et al. Radiat Environ Biophys. 2018 Mar.

Abstract

In this study the dosimetric properties of alumina (Al2O3) substrates found in resistors retrieved from mobile phones were investigated. Measurements of the decline of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) generated following exposure of these substrates to ionising radiation showed that 16% of the signal could still be detected after 2 years (735 days). Further, the magnitude of the regenerative dose (calibration dose; D i) had no impact on the accuracy of dose estimates. Therefore, it is recommended that the D i be set as low as is practicable, so as to accelerate data retrieval. The critical dose, D CL, and dose limit of detection, D DL, taking into account the uncertainty in the dose-response relation as well as the uncertainty in the background signal, was estimated to be 7 and 13 mGy, respectively, 1 h after exposure. It is concluded that given the significant long-term component of fading, an absorbed dose of 0.5 Gy might still be detectable up to 6 years after the exposure. Thus, OSL from alumina substrates can be used for dosimetry for time periods far in excess of those previously thought.

Keywords: Alumina substrates; Emergency dosimetry; Fading; OSL; Resistors; Retrospective dosimetry.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Alumina substrates (ten/cup) attached by oil spray to a stainless steel measuring cup. Each tick mark on the scale (at left) denotes 1 mm
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dose–response curve of alumina substrates (± 1 standard error of the mean) at low doses, 1 h after exposure. Solid black line: regression function, as described in the figure; dashed lines: upper and lower 95% bound
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
OSL signals of un-irradiated alumina substrates normalised to a test dose of 1 Gy, with a fitted normal distribution. A total of 37 aliquots were used, with ten alumina substrates per cup. The mean value was 0.001, and the standard deviation is 0.004
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Fading of the OSL signal following doses of 1.7, 4.1, 8.3, and 41.3 Gy, for time intervals ranging from 1 h to 735 days. The corresponding three-component regression function is provided in Eq. (2)
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