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 has been analysed and the results published [4].



• 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. The results have been analysed and published [6].  A collaborative project comparing spectral measurements of solar UV radiation made by ARPANSA in Melbourne for 2001-03  and by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology was published in the proceedings of the Workshop ‘UV radiation and its Effects: an update (2006)’ held in Dunedin, New Zealand.

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 published[9]. 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. Annual UPF testing intercomparisons with external agencies continue to provide data to improve measurement procedures and performance.



• 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

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

2. 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

3. 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

4. Higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with lower relapse risk in MS
Annals of Neurology
Volume 68, Pages 193-201, Date 2010
S Simpson, B Taylor, L Blizzard, AL Ponsonby, F Pittas, H Tremlett, T Dwyer, P Gies and I van der Mei

5. 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

6. Measurement of the UVR Exposures of Expeditioners on Antarctic Resupply Voyages
Photochem Photobiol.
Volume 85, Pages 1485-1490, Date: 2009.
P Gies, R Watzl, J Javorniczky, C Roy, S Henderson, J Ayton, and M Kingston.

7. 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

8. 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

9. The relationship between UV transmittance and color — Visual description and instrumental measurement
Textile Res J
Volume 78, Issue 2, Pages 128-137, Date 2008
CA Wilson, PH Gies, BE Niven, A McLennan and NK Bevin

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