An effectively nondestructive method for dose assessment from accidental exposure using PCBs from electronic watches

Dose assessment from accidental exposure has historically been demonstrated in cases where individuals are not wearing any personal dosimeter by measuring the luminescence signal from personal items following a radiological emergency. The limitation of using the luminescence method is that it requires extensive sample preparation, which is a challenge during emergency triage applications where rapid dose assessment is the goal. We propose a nondestructive method of dose assessment which requires minimal sample preparation and provides rapid dose estimation with potentially nondestructive assay. The nondestructive method involves collecting shavings from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of electronic watches without altering the circuit followed by SAR measurement of the fiberglass matrix. A comparative analysis of the actual applied dose, absorbed dose from commercial OSL dosimeters, and absorbed dose from alanine dosimeters suggests that PCB shavings from electronic watches can be used as an individual dosimeter during accidental radiation exposures with some caveats. •We demonstrate a nondestructive method for determining accidental dose exposure from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of electronic watches.•The benefit of the method is that it provides rapid dose estimation with potentially nondestructive assay.•A comparative analysis of the actual applied dose, absorbed dose from OSL dosimeters, and alanine dosimeters suggests that PCB shavings from electronic watches can be used as an individual dosimeter during accidental radiation exposures with some caveats.