A New Method for Determining the Absorbed Dose in a Radiation Field by Using a Thiamine Hydrochloride Aqueous Solution

This research investigated the ionizing radiation effect on thiamine hydrochloride (TH) and its usability as an irradiation dosimeter. The fundamental principle is to determine the concentration variations of TH solutions with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after exposing to γ-rays. The decreasing peak area of TH in the HPLC chromatogram forms a linear relationship with the rising radiation dose. We investigated the characteristics and suitable application range of the TH as a new radiation dosimeter. The influence factors and mechanism of the reaction induced by radiation were also discussed. According to the correlation between the concentration and the radiation dose, 0.3 g/L of a TH solution is suitable for the 0.1 – 10 kGy dose range, and 2 g/L is appropriate for 0.1 – 20 kGy. The easy availability and the simple, but stable, chemical structure of thiamine makes it a potential candidate for radiation dose research. Also, the preparation proceeding for sampling is easy, and the result can be automatic monitored by liquid chromatography.