Radium dial watches, a potentially hazardous legacy?

Environment International
Gavin K GillmoreRichard Harris

Abstract

This study re-examines the risk to health from radium ((226)Ra) dial watches. Ambient dose equivalent rates have been measured for fifteen pocket watches giving results of up to 30 μSv h(-1) at a distance of 2 cm taken with a series 1000 mini-rad from the front face (arithmetic mean ambient dose equivalent for pocket watches being 13.2 μSv h(-1)). A pocket compass gave rise to a similar ambient dose equivalent rate, of 20 μSv h(-1), to the pocket watches, with its cover open. Eighteen wristwatches have also been assessed, but their dose rates are generally much lower (the arithmetic mean being 3.0 μSv h(-1)), although the highest ambient dose equivalent rate noted was 20 μSv h(-1). A phantom experiment using a TLD suggested an effective dose equivalent of 2.2 mSv/y from a 1 μCi (37 kBq) radium dial worn for 16 h/day throughout the year (dose rate 0.375 μSv h(-1)). For this condition we estimated maximum skin dose for our pocket watches as 16 mSv per year, with effective doses of 5.1 mSv and 1.169 mSv when worn in vest and trouser pockets respectively. This assumes exposure from the back of the watch which is generally around 60-67% of that from the front. The maximum skin dose from a wristwatch was 14 mSv, with 4.2 mSv effectiv...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1988·Seminars in Nuclear Medicine·M D Blaufox
Dec 1, 1966·The British Journal of Radiology·R D Evans
Aug 13, 2002·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·G K GillmoreD D Gilbertson
Jul 1, 1961·Physics in Medicine and Biology·A EIKODDJ SYNNES
Jul 1, 1960·Royal Society of Health Journal·C O BLYTH BROOKE
Sep 1, 1963·Physics in Medicine and Biology·R MCCARTHY, V MEJDAHL
Jun 9, 2005·Journal of Radiological Protection : Official Journal of the Society for Radiological Protection·A C Baker, C Toque

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Citations

Mar 22, 2016·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·Frédéric PerrierHélène Bouquerel
Oct 4, 2016·The Science of the Total Environment·Gavin GillmoreSimon Crust

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