Development of database management system for monitoring of radiation workers for actinides

Annually around 500 radiation workers are monitored for estimation of lung activities and internal dose due to Pu/Am and U from various divisions of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Trombay) and from PREFRE and A3F facilities (Tarapur) in lung counting laboratory located at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre hospital under Routine and Special monitoring program. A 20 cm diameter phoswich and an array of HPGe detector were used for this purpose. In case of positive contamination, workers are followed up and monitored using both the detection systems in different geometries. Management of this huge data becomes difficult and therefore an easily retrievable database system containing all the relevant data of the monitored radiation workers. Materials and methods: The database management system comprises of three main modules integrated together: 1) Apache server installed on a Windows (XP) platform (Apache version 2.2.17) 2) MySQL database management system (MySQL version 5.5.8) 3) PHP (Preformatted Hypertext) programming language (PHP version 5.3.5). All the 3 modules work together seamlessly as a single software program. The front end user interaction is through an user friendly and interactive local web page where internet connection is not required. This front page has hyperlinks to many other pages, which have different utilities for the user. The user has to log in using username and password. Results and Conclusions: Database management system is used for entering, updating and management of lung monitoring data of radiation workers, The program is having following utilities: bio-data entry of new subjects, editing of bio-data of old subjects (only one subject at a time), entry of counting data of that day's lung monitoring, retrieval of old records based on a number of parameters and filters like date of counting, employee number, division, counts fulfilling a given criterion, etc. and calculation of MEQ CWT (Muscle Equivalent Chest Wall Thickness), energy Calibration of MCA and efficiency calibration. It is possible to save data as special and routine monitoring type. System is also fed with the counting efficiency equations for various radionuclides as a function of MEQ-CWT. With the help of the system, it is possible to retrieve data between various time periods as well as filter according to name or employee number, division and detector type. Also, for any subject monitored, it is possible to estimate MEQ-CWT using measured physical parameters as well as estimate lung activity from Phoswich or an array of HPGe detectors measurements. The database system is useful for management and processing of huge lung monitoring data. (author)