Potential of phenothiazine as a thin film dosimeter for UVA exposures

Abstract

The research reported in this paper on the changes in absorbance and the calibration of a proposed UVA (320–400 nm) dosimeter have established the phenothiazine–mylar combination as a potential UVA dosimeter for population studies of UVA exposures. The change in optical absorbance at 370 nm was employed to quantify the UVA exposures. This change starts to saturate at a change in absorbance of approximately 0.3. This relates to solar UVA exposures at a sub-tropical site on a horizontal plane of approximately three to four hours. The shape of this calibration curve varies with the season. This can be overcome in the same manner as for polysulfone where the dosimeter is calibrated for the conditions that it will be employed to measure the UVA exposures. © 2005 The Royal Society of Chemistry and Owner Societies.