Investigation of Radiogenesis Status of lantern mantles in Iranian Market Using Alpha-auto Radiography and Dosimetry Techniques

  Introduction: lantern mantles used in gas burners contain quantities of radionuclides. Thorium is a long-lived radionuclide, which in turn increases the dose and effects of radiation on human. The aim of this study was to determine the radiation level of gas burner lamps available in Iranian market using alpha-auto-radiography and dosimetry techniques Materials and Methods: In this study, market-based lantern mantles were collected as far as possible and the result led to collecting 5 brands made by different companies. The mantles were kept in the radiographic cassette for 21 days, then removed from the cassette and processed. The densities of the films were measured using a Macbeth TD 504 densitometer and radiation was measured employing a Radiation alert Monitor 5 dosimeter. Results: Some of the mantles were radio-genesis and their produced densities resulted from their radiation were different in the alpha-auto-radiographs. Maximum and minimum produced densities were 2.2 ± 0.1 and 0.28 ±0.01 for Butterfly and Egret brands, respectively; likewise, the maximum and minimum doses were 2.13 ± 0.01 and 0.2 ± 0.01 μsv / h, for Butterfly and Egret brands respectively. Conclusion: The amount of radiation emitted by the lantern mantles is very different and some of them are not radio-genesis. Importers of gas lanterns should also consult the relevant units before importing this product in order to conserve community health.