Thermoluminescence properties of quartz a natural dosimeter from beach sand

To study the thermoluminescence (TL) properties of quartz extracted from beach sand. Creating a dose profile of the site is a pivotal task during a radiological emergency. Quartz is a potential candidate as its radiation sensitive. Quick extraction of quartz is a key factor to estimate the dose during nuclear emergency situations. Quartz was extracted from the beach sand near Kudankulam sea area Tamilnadu, India. Beta irradiated sample investigated and showed TL peaks at 361, 479 (Peak-1), and 595 (Peak-2) K at a heating rate of 5 K/sec. The TL kinetic parameters of the quartz sample were determined by Initial rise method and variable heating rate (VHR) method. The activation energy by initial rise method was found to be 1.09 eV and 1.38 eV for peak-1 and 2 respectively. Dose response, repeatability check, SAR protocol were also studied. The dosimetric studies showed that quartz extracted from beach sand is suitable for dose measurements and can be used as a natural dosimeter. (author)