Estimating the Internal Dose for 131I Production Workers From Air Sampling Method.

Besides the most common methods of internal dose assessment from inhaled 131I, that are thyroid monitoring and urine analysis, air sampling is a possible way but rarely used for dose estimate. This study aimed to focus on the utilisation of portable air sampler to estimate the internal dose for workers working at 131I production facility. In addition, internal dose estimated from urine analysis at the same time was carried out for comparison. Based on this research, it was found that air monitoring can be done efficiently as urine monitoring if the following conditions are met: (1) the indoor areas are not large, (2) sampling sites need to be placed as near breathing zone as possible and (3) the time-micro-environment patterns of monitored workers are collected carefully.