Measurement of Background Radiation for Epidemiologic Studies

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Abstract
Dosimetric techniques capable of detecting geographic variation in population exposure to external and internal sources of natural ionizing radiation are reviewed. Criteria for their evaluation in terms of suitability for epidemiologic application are discussed. Radiogeological methods may be used to delineate zones of differing bedrock radioactivity, but the level of human exposure can be derived only from population surveys. Pressurized ion chambers, scintillation - film dosimeters and condenser-chamber "pencils" are currently being developed for this purpose. The skeletal dose from internal emitters may be estimated by radiochemical analysis which permits measurement of radium226, radium224, radium223, and polonium210 in biological specimens as small as a single tooth. A tabular presentation of the range of variation in human exposure to various sources of external and internal ionizing radiation is included.