Table 6-9. Performance Test Categories, Radiation Sources, and Test Ranges for the DOELAP and NVLAP Programs

DOE-STD-1136-2004

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiation Protection in Uranium Facilities

Table 6 -9.

Performance Test Categories, Radiation Sources, and Test Ranges for

the DOELAP and NVLAP Programs

Category

Radiation Source

Test Range

Low-energy photons

IST x-ray

0.1 - 50 Gy

(high dose)

Beam code M150

137

High-energy photons (high dose)

0.1 - 50 Gy

Low-energy photons

NIST x-ray

0.3 - 100 mSv

(low dose)

Beam codes:

M30

M50(a)

S60

S75(a)

M100(a)

M150

H150(b)

137

High-energy photons (low dose)

0.3 - 100 mSv

15 - 20 keV(b)

Low-energy photons (monoenergetic)

0.3 - 50 mSv

55 - 65 keV(b)

204

Beta particles

1.5 - 100 mSv

Sr/90 Y

1.5 - 50 mSv

Natural or depleted uranium (slab)(b)

252

Neutrons

Cf moderated

2.0 - 50 mSv

252

Cf unmoderated(b)

Photon mixtures

2.0 - 50 mSv

Photon/beta mixtures

Photon/neutron mixtures

(a) Category unique to the NVLAP program.

(b) Category unique to the DOELAP program. Note also that 241Am (59-keV photons) may be used in

place of the mono-energetic photon (55 - 65 keV) fluorescent x-ray source.

At present, only personnel dosimeters for whole body irradiations are required to be tested, but a

DOE working group developed an extremity dosimetry performance testing standard. Extremity dosimeters

may be voluntarily tested. DOE also conducts an inter-comparison of calibration sources used for radiation

protection purposes, but in the near future DOE secondary calibration laboratories will be established to

increase the consistency of radiation protection instrument calibrations to national standards.

There is some question about the correct quality factor to apply to extremity neutron dosimeters.

Most quality factors are defined in terms of linear energy transfer (LET), so a numerical value for quality

factor can be readily derived by calculation or measurement of the neutron energy spectra. However, the

relationship between quality factor and LET was derived from biological experiments on cancer

induction, especially leukemia in blood-forming organs. There are no blood-forming organs in the

extremities, so there is no biological basis for large values of quality factors for extremity exposures.

However, regulatory agencies typically apply quality factors derived for whole -body exposures to the

extremities; thus, for compliance purposes, qualify factors should be applied for extremity exposures.

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