CIEMAT WBC capabilities for responding in case of nuclear and radiological emergencies

Nuclear and radiological accidents can result in internal exposures of workers (including first responders) and general population. For this reason it is necessary precise and rapid methods are developed in order to ensure capabilities for monitoring and dose assessments of internally contaminated persons. The Whole Body Counter (WBC) of the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT) in Madrid, Spain, has implemented techniques to determine radioiodine in the thyroid and gamma emitters throughout the body of various age groups of children and adults. In addition, the WBC laboratory has developed a new in vivo calibration and measurement method with germanium detectors in case of contamination of gamma emitting radionuclides in wounds at different depths.