Abstract
Nowadays, the utilization of gamma irradiation (e.g., Cobalt-60 source) to sterilize different materials have been increasing enormously. As terminal sterilization, gamma irradiation is being used popularly to sterilize different materials throughout Bangladesh. Compare to other conventional methods of sterilization (e.g., alpha, beta, other chemicals), this method is highly applicable for its well acceptance in the world. It has high penetration power with the short wave lengths, isothermal characteristics for its negligible rise in the temperature, no contact with any toxic chemicals without having any unirradiated portion. In this process, the assurance level of the sterility of product is far better than other aseptic processing. The chemical bonds in the microbes are broken to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by gamma irradiation, and attack DNA/RNA of microbes for killing. The mutations in the genetic materials (DNA/RNA) of microbes are usually happened through gamma irradiation and consequently restrict the cellular division of microbes. This characteristic of gamma ray is mostly applicable in the commercial purposes. This review discusses the general applications of gamma irradiation to the broaden arena of different materials (active pharmaceutical ingredients, consumer products, beverages etc.). A summarized description of materials those are irradiated using Cobalt-60 source in Bangladesh, in particular, at the Institute of Radiation & Polymer Technology (IRPT), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, is described here. The information may further assist to enhance the dissemination of the applicability of gamma irradiation throughout Bangladesh.
Highlights
The term radiation comes from the phenomenon of waves emitting from a source
There are three different categories of natural gamma radiation sources: (i) potassium (40K) with a half-life of 1.3×109 years, uranium-238 (238U) with a half-life of 4.4×109 years, uranium-235 (238U) with a halflife of 7.1×108 years and thorium (232Th) with a half-life of 1.4×1010 years, (ii) radioactive isotopes from the first group, those have half-lives ranging from small fractions of a second to 104 to 105 years, (iii) the generation of isotopes from the first group created by external causes, such as the interaction of cosmic rays with the earth and atmosphere [16]
The authenticity of irradiated food has been permitted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [18]
Summary
The term radiation comes from the phenomenon of waves emitting from a source. Radiation can be happened through the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles that passes through the various spaces or media [1, 2]. Gamma radiation can penetrate intensely into the material, and cause the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by the breakage of chemical bonds in the molecules. There are three different categories of natural gamma radiation sources: (i) potassium (40K) with a half-life of 1.3×109 years, uranium-238 (238U) with a half-life of 4.4×109 years, uranium-235 (238U) with a halflife of 7.1×108 years and thorium (232Th) with a half-life of 1.4×1010 years, (ii) radioactive isotopes from the first group, those have half-lives ranging from small fractions of a second to 104 to 105 years, (iii) the generation of isotopes from the first group created by external causes, such as the interaction of cosmic rays with the earth and atmosphere [16]
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