An investigation of build-up effects in high energy radiation fields, using a handi TEPC

ICRP considers that a dose limit of 2 mSv close to the body surface of a pregnant woman will ensure a dose limit of 1 mSv to the foetus. This assumption depends on the energy spectrum and composition of the radiation fields, especially those containing high energy particles such as are found around particle accelerators or in aircraft. In this work the response of a tissue-equivalent proportional counter in radiation fields of different composition and energy was measured as a function of depth in cylindrical phantoms. The decrease in dose and dose equivalent at a phantom depth equivalent to that of a foetus was 10% in a typical high energy stray radiation field and 30% for neutrons from a Pu-Be source. It is concluded that it would be prudent in these cases to limit the exposure of a pregnant woman to 1 mSv in order to ensure that the dose to the foetus stays below the same limit.