Experimental study on assessing internal radioactive contaminants by use of nasal swab

Nasal swab analysis is an effective method to provide valuable information for early and fast estimates of alpha radionuclide intakes and resultant doses. In this study, an inhalation environment was built by use of lead nitrate aerosol to simulate alpha radioactive aerosol inhalation. The result of exposure and swabbing experiments with guinea pigs shows that the lead smeared on nasal swabs represents ∼13 % of intake if samples are acquired within 90 min after exposure and declines over time with a half-time of 1.4 h. The results also indicate a decreasing swabbing efficiency with post-exposure time. This study could provide useful information for the method of nasal swab used in nuclear and radiological emergencies. (authors)