The Protection of Multicurie Strontium-Yttrium (90) Sources

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Abstract
Measurements were made of the dose-rates due to bremsstrahlung from a 526 mc Sr90-Y source. When the beta-rays were absorbed in 1 mm of lead the dose-rate was 102 mf/hour/mc at 1 cm from the front of the source, i.e. the bremsstrahlung hazard from 1 curie is about the same as that produced by the gamma-rays from 12 mg of radium. With 9.5 mm of Perspex as the beta-ray shield, the dose-rate increased to 163 mr/hour/me at 1 cm. About three-quarters of the beta-rays produced bremsstrahlung in the material of the source and its surround, rather than in the beta-ray shield. Narrow and broad beam absorption curves were measured in lead. Together with measured dose-rates they provide the data necessary for calculating the thickness of lead shielding required for a multicurie Sr90-Y source. Measured dose-rate and broad beam absorption curve with a 1 mm lead beta-shield were in good agreement with those predicted by theory.

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