M.N. Lifanov1, Yu.M. Burmistrov2, S.I. Potashev3, V.N. Ponomarev4, E.A. Albats5

1–4 Institute For Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia)
5 Joint Stock Company “PTS” (Moscow, Russia)
 

Accidents at nuclear power plants and nuclear submarines [1] stimulated the development of the industry producing personal protective equipment (PPE) in the form of special garments. Safe methods to inspect the anti-radiation properties of materials have also been created [2]. The protective garments shield rescuers working in a radiation accident from the exposure of several factors, including beta-radiation. Beta-radiation has a low penetrating ability – less than 1 cm in the biotissue in comparison with photons. However, large beta dose can cause radiation burn, aggravating the course of radiation sickness. The production of PPE includes the protection against beta radiation check. An indicator of the efficiency of beta protection is the attenuation coefficient of beta radiation, which is determined by irradiating the test sample with an isotope 90Sr(90Y).

To register beta rays, it is proposed to use a more advanced multi-chamber electron detector developed and manufactured at the INR RAS. The detector consists of several gas chambers located one by one. The electron is detected only in the first chamber or in several successive chambers, depending on the energy of the particle. Thanks to this, the detector makes it possible to measure not only the attenuation coefficient of beta-rays, but also the gradient of ionization losses of beta particles in the detector substance. The working substance of the device is equivalent to 0,8 mm thick biotissue, so the device can be used to simulate and investigate the depth-dose distribution within biotissue after appropriate calibration. This can be used in the selection of anti-radiation materials in order to optimize the weight of PPE to improve their ergonomic index.

The multi-chamber detector has a high sensitivity. It can be operated in combination with sources of low activity, less than the minimal significant value established for workplaces by the Radiation Safety Code. Thus, the radiation safety of the metrological personnel and the environment are ensured.

The detector was also tested to register monoenegetic beta rays from a linear accelerator. Tests have shown that the device of this configuration provides reliable data for electrons of about 2.5 MeV. To expand the range, the density of the detector substance and the number of chamber should be increased.

The detector can be used in accelerator technology to estimate the energy resolution of electrons directed to the target. As a tissue-equivalent device, the detector allows to test protective materials used in radiation therapy, as well as to compile databases for radiation risk calculators.

The multi-chamber detector is operated as part of a test complex including hardware and software. The software is of particular importance, because it gives a possibility to interpret the result differently depending on the algorithm for processing signals coming from the detector's substance.

Lifanov M.N., Burmistrov Yu.M., Potashev S.I., Ponomarev V.N., Albats E.A. Studies of the gradient of ionization losses using a tissue-equivalent multi-chamber electron detector during testing of anti-radiation materials. Science Intensive Technologies. 2023. V. 24.
№ 6. P. 29−36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/ j19998465-202306-03 (in Russian)

1. Gogin E.E., Emel'yanenko V.M., Beneckij B.A., Filatov V.N. Sochetannye radiacionnye porazheniya. M.: Izvestiya, 2000. 240 s. (in Russian).
2. www.pto-pts.ru
3. Benetskii B.A., Lifanov M.N. Basics of designing, testing, and checking of the combined-radiation protection garments for firefighters. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Phisics. 2009. V.73. № 2. P. 256–260.
4. Lifanov M.N., Beneckij B.A., Loginov V.I. Tekhnologiya kontrolya radiacionno-zashchitnyh svojstv kompozicionnyh materialov i special'noj zashchitnoj odezhdy pozharnyh, ohranyayushchih AES. Pozharnaya bezopasnost'. 2008. № 2. S. 92–95 (in Russian).
5. Potashev S., Burmistrov Yu., Zuyev S., Karaevsky S., Konobeevski E., Razin V. and Afonin A. A four-layer gaseous detector allowing to measure the energy of charged particles. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1390 (2019) 012120, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1390/1/012120.
6. Potashyov S.I., Afonin A.A., Burmistrov Yu.M., Drachev A.I., Zuev S.V., S.H. Karaevskij, A.A. Kasparov, E.S. Konobeevskij, I.V. Meshkov, V.N. Ponomarev, Razin V.I., Soloduhov G.V. Izmerenie energii zaryazhennyh chastic po ionizacionnym poteryam v mnogoslojnom gazovom detektore. Izv. RAN. Seriya: fizicheskaya. 2020. T. 84. № 4. S. 530 (in Russian).