Effective Dose Calculation Program (EDCP) for the usage of NORM-added consumer product

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop the Effective Dose Calculation Program (EDCP) for the usage of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) added consumer products. The EDCP was developed based on a database of effective dose conversion coefficient and the Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) program to incorporate a Graphic User Interface (GUI) for ease of use. To validate EDCP, the effective dose calculated with EDCP by manually determining the source region by using the GUI and that by using the reference mathematical algorithm were compared for pillow, waist supporter, eye-patch and sleeping mattress. The results show that the annual effective dose calculated with EDCP was almost identical to that calculated using the reference mathematical algorithm in most of the assessment cases. With the assumption of the gamma energy of 1 MeV and activity of 1 MBq, the annual effective doses of pillow, waist supporter, sleeping mattress, and eye-patch determined using the reference algorithm were 3.444 mSv year−1, 2.770 mSv year−1, 4.629 mSv year−1, and 3.567 mSv year−1, respectively, while those calculated using EDCP were 3.561 mSv year−1, 2.630 mSv year−1, 4.740 mSv year−1, and 3.780 mSv year−1, respectively. The differences in the annual effective doses were less than 5%, despite the different calculation methods employed. The EDCP can therefore be effectively used for radiation protection management in the context of the usage of NORM-added consumer products. Additionally, EDCP can be used by members of the public through the GUI for various studies in the field of radiation protection, thus facilitating easy access to the program.