Abstract:
In 2002, the right index finger of a staff was punctured by a screwdriver during operating the 241Am solid radiation source. The particle 241Am was ingested in the wound. The retrospective investigation and dose assessment were carried out in 2016. The quantitative measurement of 241Am in the human skull is about 166 Bq. The skull is about 18.86% of the whole body skeleton in dry weight. The 241Am in the whole body skeleton is about 880 Bq. Combined with the human bone retention function of 241Am by wound intake, the intake of 241Am in the wound is estimated to be 2 630 Bq, and the committed effective dose to be accumulated is about 0.85 Sv. The quantitative measurement of 241Am retention in wound is about 527 Bq. Combined with wound contamination retention function, the intake of 241Am in the wound is estimated to be 5560 Bq, and the effective dose caused by 241Am intake in the wound is about 1.81 Sv. Based on the results of the two methods, the committed effective dose of 241Am should be less than 2 Sv. By evaluating the existing 241Am in wound, it is estimated that tissue excision can avert approximate 170 mSv of committed effective dose.