Radiation-induced change of optical property of hydroxypropyl cellulose hydrogel containing methacrylate compounds: As a basis for development of a new type of radiation dosimeter

• White turbidity appeared even at 1 or 2 Gy of 60Co γ-ray irradiation.
• Haze could be used as an index of the degree of white turbidity.
• UV–vis spectroscopy indicated multiple mechanisms leading to white turbidity.

Hydrogels with matrix of a cellulose derivative, hydrogel of hydroxpropyl cellulose (HPC), containing two of methacrylate compounds (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (9G)) were irradiated with 60Co γ-rays. The gels become white with irradiation, and thus, could be candidates of a new type of radiation dosimeter utilized in radiation therapy because the gels become white with irradiation and can be confirmed directly by human eyes even at low doses of 1–2 Gy. Radiation-induced change of optical properties, haze value and UV–vis absorption spectrum, of the irradiated gels was measured. Dose response of the white turbidity appearance was different for different compositions of the methacrylate compounds as well as for different dose rates. The degree of the radiation-induced white turbidity was quantified by measuring haze value, showing linear dose response in low dose region (<2 Gy). We also analyzed the gels with a UV–vis spectrometer and HEMA- and 9G-rich gels gave different spectral shapes, indicating that there are at least two mechanisms leading to the white turbidity. In addition, dose rate dependence was smaller for 9G-rich gels than HEMA-rich gels in the range of 0.015–1.5 Gy/min.