ESR response to γ-rays of alanine pellets containing B(OH)3 or Gd2O3

ESR response to γ-irradiation (1-50 Gy) of blends containing alanine and either B(OH)3 or Gd2O3 is reported. The sensitivity of the alanine-B(OH)3 blend is comparable to the sensitivity of pure alanine, although its lowest detectable dose, LDD, is smaller (∼1.3 Gy) than that of pure alanine (∼2.9 Gy). Alanine with Gd2O3 is about two times more sensitive than pure alanine, and its LDD is 0.8 Gy. The better sensitivity and LDD are probably due to the high atomic number (Z=64) of gadolinium, which enhances the interaction probability with photons and, consequently, the radical yield. This study suggests that other high-Z atoms may be useful for increasing the sensitivity of the response of alanine to γ-radiation.