Comparative analysis between radiation doses obtained by EPR dosimetry using tooth enamel and established analytical methods for the population of radioactively contaminated territories

Abstract

A comparative analysis of radiation doses determined by tooth enamel electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and by an acknowledged analytical method is performed for individual doses and for average doses in population of some settlements of the Bryansk region (Russia), which have been contaminated after the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The analysis is performed for doses in the range of 0-200 mGy for individuals and in the range of 0-50 mGy for the averaged populations. The method of orthogonal distance linear regression is used for the analysis. For both data sets the slopes of the regression line close to unity and the intercept close to zero are obtained, which indicates that doses determined by these two methods agree with each other. The root-mean-square difference between the results of EPR and analytical methods is estimated to be 35 mGy for individual doses and 15 mGy for averaged doses, which is consistent with uncertainty of these methods.