Richardson R B, Hegyi G, Starling S C
Radiation Biology and Health Physics Branch, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, K0J 1J0, Canada.
Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2003;105(1-4):139-42. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.rpd.a006209.
Methods have been developed to assess the size distribution of alpha emitting particles of reactor fuel of known composition captured on air sampler filters. The sizes of uranium oxide and plutonium oxide particles were determined using a system based on CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors. The CR-39 plastic was exposed to the deposited particles across a 400 microm airgap. The exposed CR-39 was chemically etched to reveal clusters of tracks radially dispersed from central points. The number and location of the tracks were determined using an optical microscope with an XY motorised table and image analysis software. The sample mounting arrangement allowed individual particles to be simultaneously viewed with their respective track cluster. The predicted diameters correlated with the actual particle diameters, as measured using the optical microscope. The efficacy of the technique was demonstrated with particles of natural uranium oxide (natUO2) of known size, ranging from 4 to 150 microm in diameter. Two personal air sampler (PAS) filters contaminated with actinide particles were placed against CR-39 and estimated to have size distributions of 0.8 and 1.0 microm activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD).
已开发出一些方法来评估捕获在空气采样器滤膜上的已知成分反应堆燃料的α发射粒子的尺寸分布。使用基于CR-39固态核径迹探测器的系统测定氧化铀和氧化钚颗粒的尺寸。CR-39塑料隔着400微米的气隙暴露于沉积的颗粒。对暴露后的CR-39进行化学蚀刻，以显示从中心点径向分散的径迹簇。使用带有XY电动平台的光学显微镜和图像分析软件确定径迹的数量和位置。样品安装装置允许同时观察单个颗粒及其各自的径迹簇。预测直径与使用光学显微镜测量的实际颗粒直径相关。用已知尺寸的天然氧化铀（natUO2）颗粒证明了该技术的有效性，其直径范围为4至150微米。将两个被锕系元素颗粒污染的个人空气采样器（PAS）滤膜贴靠在CR-39上，估计其尺寸分布的活度中值空气动力学直径（AMAD）分别为0.8和1.0微米。
