Response Capabilities of Two Radiation Detection Instruments to 0.1% A2 of Radionuclides

The ability to detect radioactive material released at accidents during transportation or at fixed facilities is of concern to emergency responders and radiological specialists since many radionuclides cannot be detected by commonly used survey instruments. In this paper the detection capabilities of two instruments were evaluated for the radionuclides listed in the 1985/1986 IAEA transportation regulations (IAEA 1986 and IAEA 1987). Although the limits on package content (the A1 and Az values) of the IAEA regulations were derived for exposure routes applicable in transportation accidents, the considerations parallel those for accidents or spills at fixed facilities. In either situation, the central issue is the capability of the monitoring instrument to detect a potential radiological hazard. The \"Az system\" provides a nonnalization to a specific level of radiological hazard, rather than to a fixed level of activity. The radiological hazard per unit activity ranges over . six orders of magnitude among the different radionuclides. Thus, it is better to determine response capabilities for a specific radiological hazard, as provided by the Az system.