Use of low-value personal objects for a rapid radiation triage with a portable Optically Stimulated Luminescence system

This work was carried out by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) and the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) in the framework of the BioPhyMeTRE project funded by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. Low-value personal objects, which could be used as fortuitous dosimeters in case of a radiological/nuclear (R/N) accident involving a large number of civilians, were analysed by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). We proposed a model of a portable reader which allows for rapid analyses at the accident site. Items tested in the project were salty snacks, cigarettes, paper, cosmetics, medicines, dietary supplements, and others that could be found in the bags/pockets of civilians. Two protocols were developed for dose evaluation: one based on the use of a calibration curve and the other based on the single aliquot regenerative (SAR) dose procedure. Intra- and inter-laboratory tests were performed in parallel by each laboratory on salty crackers and dietary supplements that showed the best dosimetric properties. The results obtained with the crackers have already been published. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the work carried out as part of the project.