Assessment of individual external exposure doses based on environmental radiation in areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 194; p. 109148
• Main Authors: Sato, Rina, Yoshimura, Kazuya, Sanada, Yukihisa, Mikami, Satoshi, Yamada, Tsutomu, Nakasone, Takamasa, Kanaizuka, Seiichi, Sato, Tetsuro, Mori, Tsubasa, Takagi, Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: accidents; Ambient Dose Equivalent; data collection; Effective Dose; environment; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Fukushima Nuclear Accident; Humans; In situ Radiation Measurement; Japan; Life Pattern; Models, Theoretical; nuclear power; Personal Dosimetry; power plants; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Exposure; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Japan; Personal Dosimetry; Life Pattern; Effective Dose; Ambient Dose Equivalent; In situ Radiation Measurement
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109148

[Display omitted] •Model to predict individual external exposure doses was validated.•Model parameters were verified based on measured environmental radiation.•Accuracy of indoor dose estimation was improved by considering natural radiation.•Model estimated effective doses correlated with measured personal dose equivalents. Assessing individual external exposure doses from ambient dose equivalents is valuable for predictive and retrospective purposes when personal dosimeters are impractical. This study developed a model to assess individual external exposure doses from ambient dose equivalents, considering daily life patterns (location and time spent in various places), and evaluated parameters associated with individual external exposure doses, such as the reduction effects of radiation due to buildings and vehicles. The model parameters were evaluated using the robust datasets of environmental radiation measured in areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident. The effective dose estimated by the model was compared to 106 daily personal dose equivalents measured using personal dosimeters in the residents’ living environments near the FDNPS. The estimated effective dose well consists with the measured personal dose equivalents, particularly when considering natural radiation in indoor dose estimation. This model is adequate for radiation protection, enabling the predictive and retrospective estimation of individual external exposure doses using environmental radiation monitoring data.