Metabolism in tooth enamel and reliability of retrospective dosimetry

Most of the radiation centers in tooth enamel and bones are formed by the reactions COOH+γ→CO−2+H+, and CO2+e−→CO−2. These centers can be easily changed by metabolism and have a low stability in living organisms. The efficiency of CO−2 radical production by irradiation is substantially different for teeth and bones in living rat, dead rat, and teeth and bone removed from rat. It is shown that the suitability of tooth enamel for retrospective dosimetry can be evaluated from the anisotropy of its EPR signals.