Endo A, Henshaw J, Mignanelli M A
Department of Health Physics, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai, Ibaraki.
Health Phys. 1998 Apr;74(4):456-64. doi: 10.1097/00004032-199804000-00007.
Time-dependent chemical compositions for 13N and 15O induced in the air atmosphere of a high energy electron accelerator room have been studied using a computer simulation method. A radiation chemistry model was developed to describe the chemical reactions of 13N and 15O species with the air molecules and their radiolytic products. By assuming several chemical forms of 13N and 15O generated by the (gamma, n) reaction, the variations of the concentrations of 13N and 15O species were simulated under a radiation field. From the comparison between the simulations and experiment in a 100 MeV electron linear accelerator (linac) facility, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) Just after the (gamma, n) reaction, 25-50% of 13N and 15O are present as atoms (13N, 15O) and/or their ions (13N+, 15O+) and the remainder as nitrogen and oxygen molecules (13NN, 15OO) and/or their ions (13NN+, 15OO+); (2) Neutralization of 13N+ and 15O+ ions into 13N and 15O atoms occurs instantaneously and the same is the case with the neutralization of 13NN+ and 15OO+ ions to 13NN and 15OO molecules; (3) The neutralized 13N and 15O atoms react with the air molecules and the radiolytic products to form nitrogen oxide compounds and ozone, while 13NN and 15OO remain as these molecules. Factors that control the chemical reactions of 13N and 15O are discussed.
