Determination of attenuation factors for mortar of barite in terms of environmental dose equivalent and effective dose

This work addresses the characterization of barite mortars used as Xray shielding materials through the following quantities: mass attenuation coefficient, air kerma, effective dose and ambient dose - H⁎(10). The experiment was carried out with the use of the following reference qualities: RQR4, RQR6, RQR9 e RQR10, specified in accordance with norm IEC 61267: Medical diagnostic Xray equipment - radiation conditions for use in the determination of characteristics. In this study values was determined experimentally for the attenuation of the Cream barite (density 2.99g/cm3, collected in the state of Sao Paulo), Purple barite (density 2.95g/cm3, collected in the state of Bahia) and White barite (density 3.10g/cm3, collected in the state of Paraiba). These materials, in the form of mortar, were disposed in the form of squares namely poof bodies, whose dimensions were 10 x 10 cm and thickness ranging from 3 to 15 mm approximately. In the experimental procedure, these proof bodies were irradiated with a Pantak, model HF320 industrial X-ray apparatus. The potentials applied to the respective X-ray tube were: 60kV, 80kV, 120kV and 150kV at a constant current of 1mA. The attenuation responses in function of thickness, for each of the materials analyzed, were used to draw the attenuation and transmission curves. The efficiency of the barite studied concerning the capacity to attenuate X-ray radiation for X-ray beams ranging from 60 to 150 kV indicated