Radiation dosimetry for commissioning Egypt's “mega-gamma I” facility for radiation processing

Abstract

The use of ionizing radiation for sterilization of medical products and biological tissues has become an alternative to autoclaving or gas treatment by ethylene oxide. Moreover, large radiation facilities are now increasing for processing many industrial products, such as rubber, textiles, plastics, coatings, films, wire and cable. For quality control of irradiated products released to the public, greater consideration is now being given to the use of physical radiation dosimetry, since it is simple, reliable, and reproducible. The present work describes dosimetry for the new 60Co irradiation plant, located at the National Center for Radiation Research and Technology of Egypt. Detailed measurements of absorbed dose extremes in product boxes processed in the plant were made using commercially supplied dyed plastic dosimeters (Red Acrylic and Red Perspex). These physical dosimeters were calibrated against the yield of cerous ion due to γ-ray irradiation of ceric sulphate solution as a standard chemical dosimeter.