Production and Basic Application of Uracil Dosimeters for Measuring the Biologically Effective UV Dose*

Tibor Kerékgyártó, Pál Gróf and Györgyi Rontó

Institute of Biophysics, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
Corresponding author: T. Kerékgyártó
Institute of Biophysics,
H-1444, Budapest
PO Box 263
Hungary

CEJOEM 1997, 3:143-152

*This research was sponsored by grants from the European Community, “BIODOS”, ENV4-CT95-0044, “UVB CELLS”, ENV4-CT95-0174, OMFB, EU-96-C6-005, PHARE, HU-9305-02/1084, the European Community Research and Development grant No.: EV5VCT910034, and by a grant from the Hungarian Ministry of Welfare (ETT, T-08 328/93). The financial support and the thorough installation work of the Edwards Auto 306 Vacuum Coating are gratefully acknowledged to the personnel of the Edwards Ltd.

Key words:
Uracil thin layer, vacuum evaporation, UV dosimetry, biologically effective UV radiation

Abbreviations:
CIE: Committee International de l’Éclairage;
DMSO: dimethyl-sulfoxide;
EL: Exposure Limit;
IRPA/INIRC: International Radiation Protection Association/International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee;
MED: Minimal Erythemal Dose;
RB: Robertson-Berger type UV-meter;
UV: ultraviolet.



Abstract:
The uracil dosimeter developed earlier in our institute has been found to be suitable for the long-term monitoring of the environmental UV-B radiation. For network monitoring, the production of a large number of sensors with good quality became necessary. A vacuum coating device, the Auto 306 Vacuum Coater from Edwards Ltd. West Sussex, with appropriate technical modification in source-heating and target arrangement was used to increase the number and quality of the uracil dosimeters. The improvements introduced by us resulted in higher reproducability and accuracy of the uracil thin layer parameters. Examples of application in outdoor and laboratory measurements are presented.
Received: 13 February 1997
Accepted: 08 May 1997

Posted: 29 November 1998

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