Speaker
Description
Handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers are widely utilized in metal recycling, environmental soil monitoring, and hazardous substance screening due to their advantages in non-destructive, real-time qualitative and quantitative analysis. However, the ionizing radiation generated by the internal X-ray tube during operation poses potential health risks to operators. This study investigates the radiation doses received by radiation workers using XRF devices in Taiwan, focusing on dose assessments under various testing scenarios, including both normal operations and potential abnormal conditions. The findings indicate that radiological risks primarily stem from the primary beam at the instrument's aperture, scattered radiation from sample surfaces, and potential illegal or abnormal operations. Between April 2024 to October 2025, a total of 118 XRF devices were surveyed using handheld plastic scintillation detectors. Empirical data show that during normal operations, the average net dose rate to the hands was approximately 0.12 μSv/hr (maximum: 3.02 μSv/hr). Accounting for the operating time of each device, the average annual net dose to the hands was 0.10 μSv (maximum: 6.04 μSv). For the torso, the average net dose rate was 0.03 μSv/hr (maximum: 0.85 μSv/hr), with an average annual effective dose of 16.66 μSv (maximum: 635 μSv). In contrast, under extreme abnormal conditions, such as the illegal act of directing the beam toward personnel, the average net dose rate at the XRF X-ray exit was 48.18 mSv/hr (13.28 μSv/sec), with a maximum reaching 1,360 mSv/hr (377.78 μSv/sec). The study further notes that scattered radiation increases significantly when testing low-density materials or uneven surfaces. If operators fail to maintain safe distances or manually stabilize small objects, the doses received by the fingers and torso could still approach or exceed regulatory annual limits.