Reader quality control tests, dose algorithm comparison, and signal depletion of optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry systems used for individual monitoring: A case of the dosimetry system of the national individual monitoring service in Gabon

This study was conducted to assess some important performance characteristics of the optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry system of the national individual monitoring service in Gabon, namely, reader performance tests, dose algorithm, and signal depletion. The reader performance tests demonstrated that the reader photomultiplier tube is performing self-consistently and that there is no abnormality in the counting system. Concerning the dose algorithm, it was shown that the proposed dose algorithm provides a good estimate of the dose compared with the system dose algorithm, which is not known. From the signal depletion study, the depletion rate per reading of 0.4 ± 0.09% (strong stimulation beam) was determined for field dosimeters. Depletion rates per reading of 0.3 ± 0.03% (strong beam) and 0.020 ± 0.001% (weak beam) were also determined for calibration dosimeters. All these values are comparable to those determined in other studies.