Radiochromic solutions for reference dosimetry

A chemical radiochromic dosimeter using hexa(hydroxyethyl)pararosaniline nitrile (HHEV-CN) dissolved in an aerated mixture of triethyl phosphate and dimethyl sulfoxide can be used over a wide absorbed dose range as a stable reference dosimeter, with useful characteristics, both for steady-state and pulsed radiation fields. Solutions of the leuco dye at 2-mM concentration, containing small amounts of acetic acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid and polyvinylbutyral, show high precision and a linear response for absorbed doses up to 4 kGy. When the leuco dye concentration is increased to 100 mM, the response is also linear, and absorbed doses as low as 0.5 Gy can be read with a precision of 1.3% (95% confidence limits). The radiation chemical yield is constant with changes in absorbed dose rate, but it increases with concentration of the leuco dye up to 10-1 molarity. This dosimeter solution may be used in small sealed glass ampoules or plastic vials and is useful for measuring x- and γ-ray doses of interest in food irradiation and in clinical radiology. The combination of ingredients simulates water and biological tissue (muscle) in terms of radiation interaction cross sections, i.e. mass energy-absorption coefficients for photons (0.1-20 MeV) and mass collision stopping powers for electrons (0.1-50 MeV). (author)