Monte Carlo optimum management of 241Am/Be disused sealed radioactive sources

Cebastien Joel Guembou Shouop; Serge Mbida Mbembe; Cedric Tayou Kamkumo; Jean Felix Beyala Ateba; Maurice Ndontchueng Moyo; Eric Jilbert Nguelem Mekongtso; Augustin Simo; David Strivay

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05221-y

Monte Carlo optimum management of ²⁴¹Am/Be disused sealed radioactive sources

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 21;12(1):1183. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-05221-y.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ UFD Mathématiques, Informatique Appliquée et Physique Fondamentale, Université de Douala, P.O. Box 24157, Douala, Cameroun. sebastianguembou@gmail.com.
² National Radiation Protection Agency of Cameroon, Box 33732, Yaounde, Cameroon. sebastianguembou@gmail.com.
³ Atomic and Nuclear Spectroscopy, Archeometry, University of Liège, Bat. B15 Sart Tilman, 4000, Liege 1, Belgium. sebastianguembou@gmail.com.
⁴ National Radiation Protection Agency of Cameroon, Box 33732, Yaounde, Cameroon.
⁵ UFD Mathématiques, Informatique Appliquée et Physique Fondamentale, Université de Douala, P.O. Box 24157, Douala, Cameroun.
⁶ Atomic and Nuclear Spectroscopy, Archeometry, University of Liège, Bat. B15 Sart Tilman, 4000, Liege 1, Belgium.

Abstract

The optimum encapsulation of ²⁴¹Am/Be disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS) based on PHITS Monte Carlo simulations for their long-term storage in Cameroon was performed. The country capacity for the management of disused neutron sources was also evaluated and showed that a Am1 P60 capsule is sufficient for the total available inventoried ²⁴¹Am/Be DSRSs. The effective dose rate was computed in the enclosures of the DSRS container, which will be temporarily stored in the centralized radioactive waste facility. The obtained results were in agreement with the ALARA principle for the exposure rate optimization and the obtained exposure dose rates were found to be 1.830 μSv/h (horizontal calculation) and 0.137 μSv/h (vertical computation) which values are lower than the 2.5 μSv/h acceptable limit for the public area. The dose profile for ²⁴¹Am/Be source obtained, the neutron flux, and gamma generated from neutron absorption showed agreement with the research hypothesis. The Monte Carlo assessment achieved in the present research will be useful for dismantling and preparing the waste package for long-term storage.