Irradiation ofEscherichia Coliin Reactor Core

Abstract

10B(n, α)7Li is a promising reaction for radiation therapy which can be selectively used for tumor cell killing sparing surrounding normal tissue. (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: BNCT) Despite the apparent success in application, basic studies to evaluate the biological effects of the reaction are in sparsity in terms of relative biological effectiveness (RBE) measurements and of adverse effects of the reaction such as mutagenesis. While the efficiency of the reaction is largely dependent on the selectiveness or localization of 10B compounds in tumor tissues, the lethal and mutagenic (or carcinogenic) effect of the reaction on normal cells must be carefully evaluated. Towards this end developed here is a new experimental approach using as a model system Escherichia Coli cells which allows us to examine specific effects of the boron- neutron capture reaction in terms of lethality and mutagenecity as an example. Isotropic irradiation of biological system in the core of a small research reactor is thought tobe an advantage for this experiment in that it simulates actual medical irradiations though it requires data analysis for individual radiation effects.