Measurement of Dose Distribution for the Hokkaido Shihoro Isotope Irradiation Center Using Alanine Dosimetry System

• Published in: RADIOISOTOPES Vol. 58; no. 12; pp. 815 - 823
• Main Authors: MIYAHARA, Makoto, HIRONIWA, Takayuki, MASUMIZU, Toshiki, HARA, Hideyuki, OKANO, Masahito, TAKEKAWA, Tetsuya, SUNAGA, Hiromi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Radioisotope Association 2009
• Subjects: alanine dosimeter; dose disitribution; food irradiation; gamma ray; Shihoro town
• ISSN: 0033-8303; 1884-4111
• DOI: 10.3769/radioisotopes.58.815

Irradiation facility for potato at Shihoro in Hokkaido has been operated for more than thirty years on the bases Fricke dosimetry system. The system is homemade, therefore, it has a probability of low reproducibility among individuals. While alanine dosimetry system is commercially available now and used widely. This study was conducted to confirm that the alanine dosimetry system can be used equally as the Fricke dosimetry system, demonstrating surface dose mapping of potato irradiation container in the facility. During operating practice, the measurements were performed in January and March 2009, in which the May Queen potatoes and the Baron potatoes were irradiated respectively. In this study, the uniformity, maximum dose and minimum dose were 1.08, 149.1Gy, and 137.3Gy, respectively. The positions of dosimeter at maximum values were located at intersection range of a vertical line and middle of horizontal lines(20cm to 60cm from top) of the container. Those results correspond to specification of the design concept for the irradiator and show the alanine dosimetry system can be use for dose distribution measurement system as well as Fricke system, considering the facility has been operated as designed for more than 30 years.