The Investigation of Dosimetric Potentials of Surgical Face Masks Using Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy

In this study, the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dosimetric potential of surgical face masks was investigated within the intermediate gamma dose range of 0.05–10 kGy. White, blue, and green mask samples were used for this analysis. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed that all masks were made of polypropylene. No ESR signals were detected in the unirradiated masks. However, in gamma-irradiated samples, resonance signal components at \({g}_{\parallel }= 2.031 \pm 0.002\) and \({g}_{\perp }= 2.007 \pm 0.002\), associated with peroxy radicals (RO2·), were observed, with the intensity of the \({g}_{\perp }= 2.007 \pm 0.002\) signal increasing exponentially within the investigated dose range. Despite the decrease in radiation-induced signal intensities at room temperature, surgical masks can be considered as emergency dosimeters when other materials suitable for dose estimation are unavailable.