Gamma Beam Research Articles

Beams of electrons, gammas and fast neutrons at BINP

An overview of test beam facilities at Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP) is presented. Facility for generation of extracted beams of electrons was designed at BINP for testing of detector prototypes in HEP field. The electron beam energy is from 100[Formula: see text]MeV to 3.5[Formula: see text]GeV. Since 2011, the facility has been used successfully for testing various detector prototypes. On the base of VEPP–4M collider, it is possible to obtain gamma beams too. The energy scale and resolution of calorimeters can be calibrated using edges of Compton and bremsstrahlung spectra. A facility for boron–neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was upgraded to perform radiation tests with fast neutrons with the integral flux up to [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]n/cm2. In 2022, the experiment on the study of the radiation hardness of optical fibers for the laser calibration system of electromagnetic calorimeter and the CMS detector was carried out. It has been demonstrated for the first time that at the BINP it is possible to operate with such doses. It could be further used for the wide range of radiation test tasks related with the development of facilities for HEP.

Gamma Spot Monitor at SLEGS beamline

The Gamma Spot Monitor(GSM) at SLEGS beamline is designed to provide a direct view of the gamma beam profile. The main part of the GSM is a LYSO crystal and an astronomical camera. A set of experimental tests on its performance were carried out. The results show that the magnification are 21.0% in X and 21.2% in Y direction, and the relative distortion is proved to be lower than 0.7%. The spatial resolution of the GSM evaluated by the Modulation Transfer Function(MTF) is better than 6.4 lp/mm. The contrast resolution is better than 14%. Beamline alignment is essential in beam modulation, and there are several ways for beamline alignment. In this paper, alignment capability of the GSM is demonstrated, also, the absorption coefficient distribution of a model composed of different materials is shown.

Development of a sapphire microstrip detector for gamma beam monitoring

Artificial sapphire gained interest as radiation detector in the recent years, as an alternative to diamond. The research and development campaign to design, build and characterize a radiation-hard detector for gamma beam monitoring takes place in the scientific context of the Laser Und XFEL Experiment (LUXE) at DESY. The experiment requirements of beam profile reconstruction with micro-metric precision and radiation hardness led to a proposed sapphire microstrip detector design. This work introduces the scientific context for a sapphire microstrip gamma beam profiler (GBP) and describes the experimental campaign for sapphire characterization from early prototypes to the final development of a 192-strip detector.

Identification and time evolution of thionyl chloride (SOCl2) radiolysis products

Abstract Innovative solutions are needed to reduce the amount of high-level waste generated by used nuclear fuel recycling strategies to support the widespread adoption of sustainable nuclear fission energy technologies. To this end, a new sulfur chloride-based process has been developed to recycle zirconium alloy-based materials, which make up a significant fraction of high-level radioactive waste. To support the continued development of this process, we present new data on the potential reaction pathways over time of the products arising from the gamma and electron beam radiolysis of neat thionyl chloride (SOCl2). Interrogation of the gamma irradiated liquid by Raman spectroscopy provided more conclusive identification of the SOCl2 degradation products, specifically sulfur dichloride (SCl2), molecular chlorine (Cl2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and sulfuryl chloride (SO2Cl2). In comparison, the high dose rate (∼107 Gy s−1) electron beam irradiations formed significantly more degradation products. For both cobalt-60 gamma and electron beam irradiations, the observed degradation products were found to evolve as a function of time post-irradiation via the same reaction pathways, with indication of a solvent regeneration mechanism. These findings are fortuitous for process development, as such a mechanism would be beneficial for process longevity and cost effectiveness.

Average capacity and bit error rate of vortex gamma beams propagating in non-Kolmogorov atmospheric turbulence.

In recent years, free-space optical communication based on various vortex beams has gained significant attention due to its high channel capacity and low bit error rate (BER). To investigate a novel type of vortex beam (termed as gamma beam) and its application in free-space optical communication (FSO), a comprehensive analysis of its transmission performance in weak-to-strong non-Kolmogorov turbulence has been conducted for the first time. Based on the extended Rytov method, the propagation behaviors of the gamma beam via weak-to-strong non-Kolmogorov turbulent atmosphere is explored, revealing that gamma beams may outperform LG beams and HyGG beams in certain short links. Numerical calculations are performed to analyze the effects of transmission distance, rms beam radius, receiver aperture, and other parameters on the average capacity and BER. Our results are potentially significant for free-space optical communication based on orbital angular momentum.

Radiation-Induced Hydrogel for Water Treatment.

Along with serving as drug delivery sensors and flexible devices, hydrogels are playing pioneering roles in water purification. Both chemical and radiation methods can produce hydrogels, with the latter method gaining preference for its pure adducts. The water treatment process entails the removal of heavy and toxic metals (above the threshold amount), dyes, and solid wastes from industrial effluents, seawater, and groundwater, as well as sterilization for microorganism destruction. This review analyzed the different types of hydrogels produced by applying various radiations for water treatment. Particularly, we examined the hydrogels created through the application of varying levels of gamma and electron beam radiation from the electron gun and Co-60 sources. Moreover, we discuss the optimized radiation doses, the compositions (monomers and polymers) of raw materials required for hydrogel preparation, and their performance in water purification. We present and predict the current state and future possibilities of radiation-induced hydrogels. We explain and compare the superiority of one radiation method over other radiation methods (UV-visible, X-ray, microwave, etc.) based on water treatment.

Investigation of natural radionuclides and radiation shielding potential of some commonly used building materials in Northwestern Nigeria

This study assessed the gamma-ray shielding potential of clay, sand, gypsum and kaolin commonly used as a building material in Northwestern, Nigeria. The radiological status of the samples was first evaluated by determining the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K using NaI (Tl) detector after which elemental composition and mass density were determined using Neutron Activation Analytical Technique. After which the mass attenuation coefficients (MAC), linear attenuation coefficients (LAC), half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), and effective atomic number (Zeff) were determined experimentally and theoretically using standard point sources of 137Cs and 60Co photon peaks (0.662 and 1.332, 1.173) MeV and Py-MLBUF software. The activity concentrations were found to range from 51 to 59 Bq kg−1 with a mean value of 59 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 24 to 27 Bq kg−1 with a mean value of 29 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 219 to 247 Bq kg−1 with a mean value of 247 Bq kg−1 for 40K which were about within the world recommended values of 33, 45 and 420 Bq kg−1 respectively. The results of the elemental compositions show that Si, Al, K, Fe, and Ba in clay and sand samples have concentrations in the range of 36.83–78.48%, 1.92–26.05%, 6.33–21.96%, 2.39–19.09%, and 0.09–1.44%, respectively, while in kaolin and gypsum, results revealed that Si, Al, K, Fe, and Ca range between 0.34 and 65.52%, 1.14–35.82%, 0.00–12.12%, 0.00–5.77%, and 0.00–96.6%, respectively. However, the concentrations of other elements such as Mg, Ti, Mn, Zn, Na, and Ba varied significantly with the samples. The results showed that clay has an average density of 1.96 g/cm3, sand has 2.32 g/cm3, kaolin has 2.63 g/cm3, and gypsum has the highest density with a value of 2.66 g/cm3 compared to other samples. During the measurements, a thallium-activated sodium-iodide NaI (TI) detector was used. A narrow beam transmission geometry condition was adopted for the measurements to ensure minimal scattered radiation. Absorption and attenuation of gamma beams as a function of sample thickness against gamma energy generally exhibit an increasing gamma ray behaviour as the sample thickness increases from 1 to 3 cm. The results showed that the gypsum, kaolin, sand, and clay were capable of attenuating 63.5%, 61.5%, 58.4%, and 44.2 of gamma-ray photons of energy 0.662 MeV at 3 cm thickness %, respectively, and 40.6%, 32.9%, 30.6%, and 27.3% of gamma energy 1.332 MeV at 3 cm thickness, respectively. The results showed that MAC, LAC, and Zeff of all the samples decreased with an increase in photon energy, while those of HVL and TVL increased. The experimental results for all the gamma-ray shielding parameters were found to be in good agreement with the theoretical values obtained using Py-MLBUF. The results have shown that all the samples have similar photon attenuation behaviours; however, gypsum has the best shielding potential than kaolin and this is attributed due to its highest density value.

A tool for beam optics design and its application on the VEGA transport line at ELI-NP

The Variable Energy Gamma (VEGA) System, currently under construction at Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), is a storage ring-based gamma beam source that aims to provide gamma-ray beams with a variable energy range from 1 MeV to 19.5 MeV to the users. The electron beam transport line has been designed to connect the linear accelerator and the storage ring in the VEGA electron beam system. Considering the geometrical constraints in the accelerator halls and the location of the injection point at the storage ring, the trajectory of the electron beam in the transport line has to first ascend by a 36-degree dog-leg elevation to align with a plane parallel to the storage ring, undergo a 180-degree horizontal turn, and then descend by 36 degrees vertically to reach the injection point at the storage ring. In this paper, we introduce a beam optics tool implemented for the beam optics design and fine-matching in the electron beam transport line. The design of the VEGA transport line including the layout and lattice design, is also described. The tool has been applied to the beam optics design and optimization, utilizing tracking simulations and beam matching for the VEGA transport line lattice. Furthermore, the tool's potential application to similar lattice designs is also discussed.

Design concept of a γ -ray beam with low bandwidth and high spectral density

The Variable Energy Gamma facility of the Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics center will deliver a gamma beam generated by the Compton scattering of laser and electron beams. It will have the highest spectral density and the lowest bandwidth available worldwide. A suite of several experimental setups is being developed for a wide range of research programs in fundamental and applied nuclear science driven by gamma beams. The proposed design concept for this facility is outlined. A study of the gamma beam properties at its source, as well as those after collimation, is presented. The impact of the variation in the parameters of the electron and laser beams on the quality of the gamma beam is analyzed and discussed. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Evaluation of gamma and neutron radiation shielding parameters of some glass materials by Monte Carlo and theoretical method

The present study investigates the gamma-ray and neutron shielding properties of PbCu3Ti4O12, lithium borate (Li2B4O7), lithium borate glasses doped with dolomite (CaMg(CO3)) and neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) to assess their effectiveness as shielding materials against ionizing radiation. The gamma-ray shielding properties, including the attenuation and absorption characteristics of the materials were examined and compared using Geant4-based GATE simulation, XCOM, and EpiXS in the photon energy range of 80-2000 keV. When the shielding properties of the available materials were compared, it was determined that Li2B4O7-Nd2O3, PbCu3Ti4O12, Li2B4O7-CaMg(CO3), and Li2B4O7 exhibited the best shielding properties, in order from most effective to least effective. The neutron shielding properties of these materials, including scattering, absorption, and moderation capabilities, were also determined using MRCsC, Phy-X/PSD and estimation ΣR/ρ of elements. The results were then compared with the current literature. Li2B4O7, CaMg(CO3), and Nd2O3-doped lithium borate glass samples showed higher effective fast neutron removal cross-section values than water and concrete in all calculation methods. It shows that the investigated glass materials are better gamma and neutron beam absorbers and have the potential for use in gamma and neutron beam shielding applications.

Thermal properties and radical monitoring after gamma, X-ray, and electron beam irradiation in polyamides.

Ionizing radiation induced transformations in materials were monitored through tracking of the generation and degradation processes of radical species. Consequently, the types and quantities of radicals were determined by electron spin resonance (ESR). Subsequently, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was utilized to assess the impact of irradiation on the material crystallinity. The effects of gamma rays, X-rays, and electron beams were investigated on different polyamides, which exhibit an ESR signal up to 60 days. DSC results showed no significant effect of irradiation on the melting peak temperature of the materials, indicating that the amount of radicals generated was not large enough to induce a significant alteration of the material's macrostructure.

Impact of the gamma and electron beam irradiations on yeast-spot disease fungal agent and physicochemical attributes of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)

In this study, the effects of gamma irradiation (GMI) and electron beam irradiation (EBI) on the yeast spot fungus Eremothecium coryli isolated from hazelnuts and the physicochemical features of irradiated hazelnut samples were evaluated. Results demonstrated that GMI doses ≥2 and EBI doses ≥4 effectively removed E. coryli from artificially contaminated hazelnuts and reduced the contamination by 5 log CFU/g. GMI and EBI at higher doses resulted in an increment in malondialdehyde content (MDA) and a change in the profile of fatty acids. Both treatments caused an enhancement in total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay but declined antioxidant activity in the ABTS assay at a dose of 6 kGy. L*, a*, and b* color indices were changed, and the surface color of the hazelnuts became darker. Total protein solubility (TSP) and protein profile of the samples were affected by GMI and EBI. Higher doses of GMI and EBI reduced the hardness of the hazelnuts and led to a more fragile texture. The overall acceptability of the samples was adversely affected by GMI, but it was not affected by EBI treatment. Hence, GMI (≥2 kGy) and EBI (≥4 kGy) have the potential to be applied as a fungal disinfection method; lower doses (≥2 kGy) of both treatments can sustain desirable physicochemical attributes and sensory characteristics of hazelnuts.

The effect of sterilization and storage on the viscoelastic properties of human tendon allografts – Continued: Storage for 0 to 4 months

The role of donor-derived tendons, also known as allografts, in anterior cruciate ligament replacement surgeries is steadily increasing. Before surgery, temporary storage and, in most cases, sterilization are essential. It is, thus, crucial to determine how these procedures alter the grafts’ biomechanical properties. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of different sterilization methods (native, frozen, frozen + 21 kGy gamma irradiation, frozen + 21 kGy electron beam irradiation) and storage durations (0 to 4 months) on the deformation and creep of two tendon types (tibialis anterior, peroneus longus). 80 tibialis anterior and 83 peroneus longus tendons from 51 human cadavers were included. The samples were removed, placed in a radio-cryoprotectant solution, then slowly cooled, sterilized and stored at −80 °C. All groups were subject to 60 s static creep test with 250 N load. Deformation during the loading phase, creep during static loading, and the ratio of these two were evaluated.Deformation at the end of the loading phase and creep consistently exhibited significantly smaller values in the tibialis anterior compared to the peroneus longus type, as well as in electron beam-sterilized grafts as opposed to gamma beam-sterilized ones. Prolonged storage periods (within 0 to 4 months) resulted in a notable increase in these values, particularly in deformation. Based on the experimental data, the tibialis anterior tendon type and sterilization by gamma beam irradiation are better choices for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction than the peroneus longus and sterilization by electron beam. Increased storage time affects negatively the evaluated mechanical properties.

Comparative evaluation of ethylene oxide, electron beam and gamma irradiation treatments on commonly cultivated red chilli cultivars (Kunri and Hybrid) of Sindh, Pakistan

Chillies are considered a universal ingredient for imparting flavor and pungency to foods. Pakistan stood in the top twenty countries worldwide by producing 82 thousand Tons of chillies during 2022-23. Chilli fungal contamination and aflatoxin production during drying is a common problem during post-harvest process. Gasses treatment and Ionizing radiations are efficient methods for reducing toxigenic and pathogenic microbial growth in food items. The current study was designed to compare the effects of ethylene oxide (ETO), gamma (GB) & electron beam (EB) treatments on two red chilli local cultivars (Kunri and Hybrid) of Pakistan. After treatment, the chilli samples were analyzed for aflatoxins, physicochemical, quality & safety attributes. All results were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), dendrogram and ANOVA to check the correlations, grouping and level of significance within the varieties and treatments. The results showed that moisture and water activity mainly designated PC-2 directions and are slightly positively correlated. Conversely, both fat and proteins have a negative correlation with moisture, ash and water activity. Besides, carotenoids and ABTS assay mainly designated PC-2 directions and are slightly positively correlated. Color, flavonoids and TPC also possess positive correlations among them. ETO depicts effectiveness in the reduction of E. coli but is not effective in saving antioxidant potential such as total flavonoids. Similarly, gamma irradiations showed strong reduction trends in fungal and pathogenic count, however same trend was observed in ascorbic acid too. Besides, the electron beam with dosage levels of 12 and 15 kGy has shown effectiveness against Aspergillus spp., aflatoxins and pathogenic microbial load in addition to saving antioxidant potential (phenolics and flavonoids), physicochemical parameters and color values compared to other applied methods especially in Kunri variety. It was evident from the research that varietal combination in addition to applied treatment must be specially considered while designing a treatment for chillies.

Therapeutic potential of electron beam and gamma irradiation synthesized selenium nanoparticles for health care

Abstract Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) attract more and more interest due to good bioavailability and low toxicity, accompanied by various bioactivities consisting of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activity. SeNPs could be generated by physical, chemical, or biological methods and their potential depends on the particle diameter, homogeneity, coating agents, etc Up to now, there has been no previous work reporting on the activities of SeNPs produced by electron beam yet. In our work, SeNPs created by electron beam (SeNP/EB) or gamma irradiation (SeNP/G), stabilized by gum arabic were evaluated for the anticancer capacity by MTT assay, the antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging assay, and the antibacterial ability by agar well diffusion assay. The results showed that SeNP/EB and SeNP/G displayed growth inhibition on HeLa cervical cancer cells with IC50 values of 2.83 and 1.54 μg ml−1, while the values on MCF7 breast cancer cells were 27.70 and 38.80 μg ml−1 respectively. The SeNPs affected HeLa cancer cells more selectively than normal fibroblasts as evidenced by the high selectivity index of 7.98 and 26.25. Notably, the results demonstrated that SeNP/G is much safer than SeNP/EB when applying for cancer treatment in the future. Regarding the DPPH assay, SeNPs of both synthetic methods exhibited potential IC50 values (13.5 and 12 μg ml−1) compared with that of ascorbic acid (8.4 μg ml−1). In comparison to previous studies, our results sugessted that gamma and electron beam irradiation methods, accompanied by coating with gum arabic could be novel approaches in SeNP synthesis to enhance the antioxidant activity of the SeNPs. Besides, SeNPs also caused an inhibition towards Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, which was verified by the inhibition-zone diameter of approximately 8–12 mm, through inducing oxidative stress in bacterial cells. In conclusion, along with the advantages of physical methods such as time-saving, eco-friendly processes, SeNPs in our work could be a promising candidate for the research and development of healthcare products.

Radiation processing of bacterial cellulose-monolaurin wound dressing: Physicochemical effects, functional analysis, and sterilization.

A commercial bacterial cellulose-monolaurin wound dressing was investigated for changes in the chemical structure, mechanical strength, thermal degradation, morphology, and functional swelling properties after exposure to gamma and electron beam radiations at doses 15-50kGy. Radiation-induced oxidation occurred as seen in the FT-IR peaks at 1720-1750cm-1. Degradation of the cellulosic network was observed in tensile strength reduction and shift in degradation temperature to lower values. The SEM cross-section images of the irradiated dressings revealed a less dense nanostructure network compared to the non-irradiated samples while the XRD diffractograms indicated a change in lattice direction/plane. Despite these changes, irradiation caused no significant effect on the functional properties especially at 15-25kGy doses where most biomedical devices are sterilized. All irradiated wound dressings exhibited physical integrity, increased exudate absorption, and water vapor transmission rate - properties beneficial to wound-healing functionality. The pre-selected sterilization dose of 15kGy for each ionizing radiation was successfully verified and substantiated following ISO 11137-2:2016, hence ionizing radiation is a suitable sterilization modality for the product.

Developing system arrays for new experimental approach in nuclear astrophysics

The advent of facilities providing high-intensity and high-resolution gamma ray beams and/or ultra-short and high-repetition laser pulses can potentially open a new path of astrophysical research. Indeed, a pencil size gamma beams with tunable energies from few keV up to tens MeV will offer distinctive chances to conduct precise measurements of small cross sections (on the scale of μb or even smaller) pertaining to nuclear reactions in the field of astrophysics. Consequently, it provides essential data for modeling astrophysical S-factors crucial to stellar evolution. On the other hand, the possibility to mimic the stellar conditions by laser-matter interaction generating a controlled laboratory plasma with thermodynamical status not too different from stellar conditions will open the way for the study of nuclear reactions of utmost importance for nuclear astrophysics.For photonuclear reactions with astrophysical significance, as photodissociations occur at photon energies slightly above particle emission thresholds due to typical stellar temperatures, the resulting fragments possess low energies spanning from a few hundred keV to a few MeV. Consequently, detectors with low thresholds become imperative in such cases. Also, in the case of laser-induced reactions, in order to detect the fusion products and to measure the laser-accelerated ion distribution a proper system of detection is needed. Depending on the available exit channels of the nuclear reaction of interest, both charged particles and neutrons are foreseen.Here, we present the Asfin’s efforts on developing new detectors arrays suitable for the experimental requirements in these challenging measurements. Indeed, an experimental campaign is ongoing in order to test the feasibility of excitation functions and angular distributions determinations using versatile silicon strip arrays (namely LHASA and/or ELISSA). Moreover, extensive studies and simulations will be presented regarding the developing of a dedicated detection system comprising a cryogenically cooled supersonic nozzle, an appropriate interaction chamber, an array of neutron and charged particle detectors and two compact ion spectrometers for performing systematic study of laser-induced nuclear fusion reactions.

Prospect for measurements of (γ, n) reaction cross-sections of p-nuclei at ELI-NP

The gamma beam system under construction at the ELI-NP facility in Romania is projected to give the nuclear physics community access to an experimental system providing a high-intensity, narrow bandwidth photon beam at variable energy. With high-efficiency detector systems in place, the experimental programme will have a strong potential for in-depth studies of rare stable isotopes originating from the astrophysical p-process. In particular, the neutron detection systems are already implemented through a dedicated 3He long neutron counter array, called ELIGANT-TN, that is completed and in use. In this mini-review, we will give a summary of the current status of existing (γ, n) cross-section data, as well as the methods to obtain them, and highlight the future potential to expand and improve such data using the ELI-NP instrumentation and beam-lines.

Activated carbon derived from radiation-processed durian shell for energy storage application

A lignocellulosic biomass, durian shell, modified by radiolytic oxidizing species from gamma and electron beam irradiations, has been used as a starting material for activated carbon (AC) production. Facile hydrothermal carbonization with ZnCl2/FeCl3 and physical activation were employed in addition. The physicochemical and energy storage properties of the graphitic carbons were investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), N2 adsorption-desorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge-Discharge (GCD) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Biomass modification by radiolytic oxidizing species aided in improving the energy storage properties of the resultant ACs without significantly changing the textural qualities. The radiation type played an important role on the surface functional groups, basal plane, and pore structures of the graphitic materials. The energy storage mechanism was based on a combination of EDLC and pseudo capacitances with high Coulombic efficiency. The highest specific capacitance obtained was 325.20 F/g providing capacity retention of 94.79 % after 10,000 cycles. A promising method of AC production for energy storage application has therefore been successfully demonstrated.

Biological effect of gamma and electron beam to target turning X-ray irradiation on two varieties of freesia in M3 generation

The study was carried out to explore the effects of 60Co-γ irradiation and electron beam to target turning X-ray (EBTTX) irradiation in the M3 generation to accelerate the breeding process of freesia. Bulbs of two varieties of freesia “Freesia armstrongii W. Watson” and “Freesia corymbosa (Burm.f.) N. E. Br” were exposed to 4 doses of 60Co-γ and EBTTX irradiation (25, 50, 75, and 100 Gy). The stimulatory effect on germination rate, survival rate, plant height, leaf number, leaf area, root number, root length, flowering plant rate, and pedicel length of two freesia cultivars at 25 Gy of 60Co-γ irradiation dose was better than EBTTX in M3 generation. High irradiation dose exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on these plants' growth parameters and even the survival rate of two freesia cultivars was 0.00% at 100 Gy irradiation dose for both types of irradiation. The total chlorophyll content of freesia “Freesia armstrongii W. Watson” and “Freesia corymbosa (Burm.f.) N. E. Br” reached the maximum under the radiation dose of 25 Gy. With the increase in radiation dose, the content of MDA, SOD, and POD in the leaves of both varieties of freesia increased gradually. In the M3 generation of the two freesia varieties, five new mutant plants such as dwarf plants, altered flower color, and increased petal numbers were found. A high frequency of mean mutations was found in EBTTX irradiated plants (4.16% and 3.3%) than in gamma-irradiated plants (2.4% and 2.5%) at 50 Gy as compared with control in Freesia armstrongii W. Watson and Freesia corymbosa (Burm.f.) N. E. Br.