HUMAN EXPOSURE TO FILTERED

SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

A.V. Parisi¹ and J.C.F. Wong²

¹Centre for Astronomy and Atmospheric Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, Australia. Ph: 61 76 312226. Fax: 61 76 312721. Email: parisi@usq.edu.au

²Centre for Medical and Health Physics, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane 4001, Australia. Ph: 61 7 38642585. Fax: 61 7 38641521.

Abstract

The erythemal exposure due to filtered ultraviolet radiation has been evaluated with a dosimetric spectrum evaluator in a glass enclosure to simulate a sun-room with glass roof and walls, in a greenhouse and in a small and large car. The ratio expressed as a percent of the erythemal irradiances to the shoulder of a person in an upright position inside each of the environments to those measured outside the enclosures were 5 to 7%, 1%, 1.2% and 0.7%. The average of the erythemal exposures to the facial sites over a six hour period were 0.05 MED and 0.02 MED for the small and large car respectively. Although the exposure was a fraction of an MED, the cumulative exposure received by humans in the above enclosures in a fortnight is of the same order of magnitude as that received during periodic leisure activities in the outdoor environment.