Evaluation of radiological data of some saturated fatty acids using gamma ray spectrometry

•Compute the values of mass attenuation coefficient (μm) of saturated fatty acids.•The values of (μen/ρ) i.e mass energy-absorption coefficient are calculated.•Comparison of all (μ/ρ) and (μen/ρ) values with Win-Xcom program.•The measured data are useful in radiation dosimetry and other fields.

Radiological parameters such as mass attenuation coefficients (μm), total attenuation cross section (σtot), molar extinction coefficient (ε), mass energy absorption coefficient (μen/ρ) and effective electronic cross section (σt, el) of saturated fatty acids, namely butyric acid (C4H8O2), caproic acid (C6H12O2), enanthic acid (C7H14O2), caprylic acid (C8H16O2), pelargonic acid (C9H18O2) and valeric acid (C5H10O2) were measured using NaI(Tl)-based gamma spectrometry. Radioactive sources used in the study are 57Co, 133Ba, 137Cs, 54Mn, 60Co and 22Na. Gamma ray transmission method in a narrow beam good geometry set up was used in the study. The measured data were compared against Win-XCOM-based data. The agreement is within 1%.