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Thorium exposure during tungsten inert gas welding with thoriated tungsten electrodes

Gäfvert, Torbjörn LU ; Pagels, Joakim LU and Holm, Elis LU (2003) In Radiation Protection Dosimetry 103(4). p.349-357
Abstract
The exposure to Th-232 from TIG welding with thoriated electrodes has been determined at five different workshops. Welding with both alternating and direct current was investigated. The exposure levels of Th-232 were generally below 10 mBq m(-3) in the breathing zone of the welders. Two samples from AC welding showed significant higher exposure levels, probably due to maladjustment of the TIG welding power source. Samples of the respirable fraction of Th-232 from grinding thoriated electrodes were also collected showing exposure levels of 5 mBq m(-3) or lower. A dose estimate has been made for two scenarios, one realistic and one with conservative assumptions, showing that the annual committed effective dose from inhalation of Th-232,... (More)
The exposure to Th-232 from TIG welding with thoriated electrodes has been determined at five different workshops. Welding with both alternating and direct current was investigated. The exposure levels of Th-232 were generally below 10 mBq m(-3) in the breathing zone of the welders. Two samples from AC welding showed significant higher exposure levels, probably due to maladjustment of the TIG welding power source. Samples of the respirable fraction of Th-232 from grinding thoriated electrodes were also collected showing exposure levels of 5 mBq m(-3) or lower. A dose estimate has been made for two scenarios, one realistic and one with conservative assumptions, showing that the annual committed effective dose from inhalation of Th-232, Th-230, Th-228 and Ra-228, for a full-time TIG welder, in the realistic case is below 0.3 mSv and with conservative assumptions around 1 mSv or lower. The contribution from grinding electrodes was lower, 10 muSv or lower in the realistic case and 63 muSv or lower based on conservative assumptions. The study does not exclude occurrence of higher exposure levels under welding conditions different from those prevailing in this study. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
volume
103
issue
4
pages
349 - 357
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000183117400008
  • pmid:12797558
  • scopus:0038813890
ISSN
1742-3406
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c0dea891-ce2d-4ea4-b7e4-2f7e119eea76 (old id 309704)
alternative location
http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/4/349
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:07:17
date last changed
2022-01-28 17:28:09
@article{c0dea891-ce2d-4ea4-b7e4-2f7e119eea76,
  abstract     = {{The exposure to Th-232 from TIG welding with thoriated electrodes has been determined at five different workshops. Welding with both alternating and direct current was investigated. The exposure levels of Th-232 were generally below 10 mBq m(-3) in the breathing zone of the welders. Two samples from AC welding showed significant higher exposure levels, probably due to maladjustment of the TIG welding power source. Samples of the respirable fraction of Th-232 from grinding thoriated electrodes were also collected showing exposure levels of 5 mBq m(-3) or lower. A dose estimate has been made for two scenarios, one realistic and one with conservative assumptions, showing that the annual committed effective dose from inhalation of Th-232, Th-230, Th-228 and Ra-228, for a full-time TIG welder, in the realistic case is below 0.3 mSv and with conservative assumptions around 1 mSv or lower. The contribution from grinding electrodes was lower, 10 muSv or lower in the realistic case and 63 muSv or lower based on conservative assumptions. The study does not exclude occurrence of higher exposure levels under welding conditions different from those prevailing in this study.}},
  author       = {{Gäfvert, Torbjörn and Pagels, Joakim and Holm, Elis}},
  issn         = {{1742-3406}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{349--357}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Radiation Protection Dosimetry}},
  title        = {{Thorium exposure during tungsten inert gas welding with thoriated tungsten electrodes}},
  url          = {{http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/4/349}},
  volume       = {{103}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}