2019 journal article

INITIAL TL/OSL/EPR CONSIDERATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL DIATOMACEOUS EARTH IN RETROSPECTIVE DOSIMETRY AND DATING

Radiation Protection Dosimetry.

By: R. Hayes n, R. O’Mara n & D. Hooper*

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
MeSH headings : Diatomaceous Earth / analysis; Diatomaceous Earth / radiation effects; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / instrumentation; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / methods; Materials Testing / methods; Radiation Dosage; Retrospective Studies; Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / instrumentation; Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / methods
Source: ORCID
Added: November 15, 2019

Diatomaceous earth is found in various locations around the planet. It is caused by the deposited exoskeleton material formed by the death of large concentrated populations of diatoms. The exoskeleton is effectively pure silicate and as such becomes a prospective material for retrospective dosimetry and dating. This work investigated the thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence properties of commercially obtained diatomaceous earth. The material was not found to have useful dosimetric properties with conventional TL methodologies but did provide large dose estimates using the Single Aliquot Regeneration technique on some subset samples. These findings for organic silicate did suggest some mechanisms explaining the sensitization process in geological silicate materials utilized in dosimetry and dating. Electron paramagnetic resonance was identified as a potential future method for evaluating this material as it revealed unique signal components not found in igneous or commercially produced silicates.