Study of effective atomic numbers and electron densities, kerma of alcohols, phantom and human organs, and tissues substitutes

Abstract

Effective atomic numbers (ZPIeff) and electron densities of eighteen alcohols such as wood alcohol, CH3OH; grain alcohol, C2H5OH; rubbing alcohol, C3H7OH; butanol, C4H9OH; amyl alcohol, C5H11OH; cetyl alcohol, C16H33OH; ethylene glycol, C2H4(OH)2; glycerin, C3H5(OH)3; PVA, C2H4O; erythritol, C4H6(OH)4; xylitol, C5H7(OH)5; sorbitol, C6H8(OH)6; volemitol, C7H9(OH)7; allyl alcohol, C3H5OH; geraniol, C10H17OH; propargyl alcohol, C3H3OH; inositol, C6H6(OH)6, and menthol, C10H19OH have been calculated in the photon energy region of 1 keV-100 GeV. The estimated values have been compared with experimental values wherever possible. The comparison of ZPIeff of the alcohols with water phantom and PMMA phantom indicate that the ethylene glycol, glycerin, and PVA are substitute for PMMA phantom and PVA is substitute of water phantom. ZPIeff of alcohols have also been compared with human organs and tissues. Ethylene glycol, glycerin and PVA, allyl alcohol, and wood alcohols are found tissue substitutes for most of human organs. Kerma which is the product of the energy fluence and mass energy-absorption coefficient, have been calculated in the energy region from 1 keV to 20 MeV for the alcohols. The results show the kerma is more or less independent of energy above 100 keV.