An Assessment of Radiation Doses from Incandescent Gas Mantles that Contain Thorium

摘要

Potential radiation dose equivalents were estimated for individuals and the population of the United States from annual distribution, use, and disposal of 25 million thorium-containing incandescent gas mantles. Under exposure scenarios developed from the best available information, total dose equivalents (sums of annual external dose equivalents and 50-year dose commitments from intakes during the year of radionuclides) to individuals were estimated to range from 0.01 pSv (1 prem) to 0.2 mSv (20 mrem) to total body, 0.02 pSv to 0.5 mSv to bone, and 0.01 pSv to 0.5 mSv to lungs. Collective dose commitments were estimated to range from 6 to 70 person-Sv (600-7000 person-rem), 20 to 400 bone-Sv, and 20 to 700 lung-Sv. Only ranges of potential dose commitments could be estimated because of uncertainties regarding nuclide behavior in mantles and some aspects of the personal behavior of some exposed persons. The uncertainties are discussed.