ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure Assessments

ARPANSA collaborates to assess the ultraviolet(UV) radiation exposures of various population groups and workers.

• ARPANSA staff have taken part in a multi year collaborative study with the Menzies Centre for Population Health in Hobart and the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University in Canberra to assess the UV radiation exposure of people with multiple sclerosis.This commenced in 2002 and was completed in 2005. The data collected from the UV radiation sensitive badges used in the study to measure the exposures is being analysed and the results are expected to be submitted for publication in late 2006.



• ARPANSA staff carried out a pilot study of exposure of Australian Antarctic Division personnel to solar UV radiation during the re-supply voyages to Casey, Davis and Mawson stations in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 summers. Preliminary data from this study were presented at the Workshop ‘UV Radiation and its Effects: an update(2006)’ held in Dunedin, New Zealandin April 2006. A collaborative project comparing spectral measurements of solar UV radiation in Melbourne for 2001-03 made by ARPANSA and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology progressed, with further analysis of results and preliminary data from this was also presented at the Dunedin workshop.

Protection Against Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

ARPANSA conducts research into protection against solar UV radiation.

• A collaborative study with the Clothing and Textile Sciences Faculty of the University of Otago in Dunedin is systematically characterising the factors that determine whether clothing provides good or poor protection against solar UV radiation. A paper on the effect of colour on the UV radiation protection has been drafted and will be submitted for publication in late 2006. Further work on fabrics to determine and classify in detail the structure (weave type etc), colour, composition, cover factor, size of interstitial spaces and finishes applied is continuing.



• A study on the UV radiation protection provided by hats used in schools in collaboration with the Australian Cancer Society completed in 2005 has been published in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology. Another study (Treenet) in collaboration with the Cancer Council of South Australia and the Waite Institute of the University of Adelaide to measure the effectiveness of various species of Australian trees in providing protection against solar UV radiation was completed in 2004-05 and preliminary data from the study was presented at the Dunedin UV radiation workshop.

Citations

Measurements of the UVR Protection Provided by Hats Used at School
Photochemistry and Photobiology
Volume 82, Issue 3, Date: 2006, Pages: 750-754
P Gies, J Javorniczky, C Roy, S Henderson

Australia has more than enough solar UV radiation
Clinical & Exptl. Optometry
Volume 86, Issue 2, Date: 2003, Pages: 71-73
P. Gies

Measured Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Exposures of Outdoor Workers in Queensland in the Building and Construction Industry
Photochem Photobiol
Volume 78, Pages 342-348, Date: 2003
Peter Gies and Jill Wright

Global Solar UV Index: Australian Measurements, Forecasts and Comparison with the UK
Photochem Photobiol
Volume 79, Pages: 32-39, Date 2004
Peter Gies, Colin Roy, John Javorniczky, Stuart Henderson, Lilia Lemus-Deschamps and Colin Driscoll

Measurements of the Solar UVR Protection Provided by Shade Structures in New Zealand Primary Schools
Photochem Photobiol
Volume 80, Pages: 334-339, Date: 2004
Peter Gies and Christina Mackay

Estimates of beneficial and harmful sun exposure times during the year for major Australian population centres
Med. J Aust
Volume 184, Pages: 338-341, Date: 2006
Amanda Samanek, Emma Croager, Peter Gies, Elizabeth Milne, Richard Prince, Robyn Lucas, Tony McMichael and Terry Slevin

Measurements of the UVR Protection Provided by Hats used at School
Photochem Photobiol
Volume 82, Pages: 750-754, Date: 2006
Peter Gies, John Javorniczky, Colin Roy and Stuart Henderson

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