The effect of radiation on bioluminescent bacteria: possible use of luminescent bacteria as a biological dosemeter

The purpose of the study was to investigate the response of the bioluminescent Photobacterium phosphoreum to radiation, and the possible use of the bacteria as a biological radiation dosemeter, i.e. a water-equivalent biological system that will compare beams not merely on the basis of absorbed dose, but also have intrinsic RBE values for different radiation beams. Samples were irradiated by a 12 MeV electron beam at a dose rate of 3.0 Gy min-1, by 60Co gamma rays at 2.85 Gy min-1, and by 100 kVsub(p) x-rays at a dose rate of 2.13 Gy min-1. To study dose-rate dependence, the survival fraction was obtained for a 12 MeV electron beam at 0.50 and 12 Gy min-1 for 20.0 Gy. The survival fraction proved to be independent of dose rate in this range. The results presented in this work indicate that by using bioluminescent bacteria, RBE measurements can be markedly simplified and the results interpreted unequivocally. (U.K.)