A practical approach towards minimisation of latent image fading in personnel monitoring films

A serious drawback of the film badges used in personnel monitoring is the latent image fading often as high as 95% when they are subjected to extreme climatic conditions such as high humidities and temperatures. Current data on latent image fading in personnel monitoring films of various brands of manufacturers (Kodak, Agfa-Gevaert, Du Pont) are summarized. If individual film packs are hermitically sealed in polythene envelopes, fading is reduced to 20%. Studies were, therefore, conducted on Kodak type 2 films to observe the radiation response of films subjected alternatively to humid (20deg C and 90% r.h.) conditions for 8 hours and dry (20deg C and 30 to 40% r.h.) conditions for 16 hours with a view to find out a practicable and simple method to minimise the error due to fading. The films were then exposed to 600, 1200, 2400 and 4800 mR of radium-226 gammas after one week of storage and replaced in their experimental conditions. The films were processed after zero, one and two weeks of their storage in their respective conditions. Dose versus density curves of films were plotted. A fading less than 10% is shown for a storage period of two weeks. It is also suggested that films be kept in a desiccator having dry silica gel crystals during the periods when they are not being worn by the radiation workers. (M.G.B.)