APPLICATIONS OF RADIOISOTOPE AND RADIATION TECHNOLOGY IN

INDUSTRY,HEALTH CARE,AND AGRICULTURE

KALYANA KRISHNAN.A.V

B.Sc CHEMISTRY

“Science makes us wonder”

Henry Becquerel

Madam Curie

Production of Radioisotopes

Production with Reactors

Production via accelerators

Production via chemical separation

Electromagnetic Enrichment and Purification

Properties of Radiation

Type of rays Alpha Rays Beta Rays Gamma Rays

Nature Positive charge Negative charge Chargeless

Velocity 160,000 km/s160,000-240,000km/s Equal to that of

light

Penetration power Low power Greater than alpha Larger than others

Ionizing power Larger than others Greater thanGamma

Low power

GEIGER MULLER COUNTER

Isotopes in hydrology and water resources management

Isotope Hydrology is a field of hydrology that uses isotopic dating to estimate the age and origin of water.

Carbon 14 dating is also used in isotope hydrology since all natural water contains dissolved carbon dioxide.

Application of isotope in hydrology

Determining the age of snow and ice:

Use of stable isotope can indicate the conditions of the climate in the past:

Higher average global temperature indicates the increase in atmospheric (18)O water.

While lower than normal (18)O in groundwater or an ice layer would imply the cooler climatic or ice ages.

Application of sealed radioisotopes/radiation in industry

THICKNESS MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL:

The 0.54 MeV beta of Sr (90) is used for measuring thickness- back scattering technique.

FRICTION AND WEAROUT:When the 2 surfaces are rubbed, one is neutron activated

so that it becomes radioactive, without a lubricant the other surface is auto-radio graphed. This indicate the amount of matter transferred (wear out of piston rings).

Gamma Radiography

Technique of examining industrial castings and machine parts for micro cracks is well known.

Diesel locomotive works, Varanasi are using 8Ci of (192)Ir for testing by gammography steel plates in manufacture of locomotives.

The metal casting are tested for cracks by putting in radioactive salt baths. Absence of salt-penetration obviously indicates absence of cracks.

Radiotracers application in industryOptimum use of fertilizers-Agricultural industry

Ca (45)as a tracer, it has been found that the uptake by plants of Ca from the soil is nearly same for CaO and CaCO3.

Adding (NH4)3PO4 labeled with p(32) of known specific activity the uptake of phosphorous is measured.

Surgery-medical industry:

To find out if blood is circulating to a wound or not a radioisotope is injected, afterwards blood from the wound is examined by GM counter.

Similarly phosphate containing isotope of phosphorus (32) is given to patients suffering from bone fracture.

Radiopharmaceuticals as diagonstic and therapeutic agents in medical care Thyroiditis (Goiter):

Diagnosed the treatment is possible by radioiodine (131)I or better (125)I.

Energetic radiation destroy the, hyperthyroidisms, followed by auto-radio graphic of the gland in Scintillation counter.

Brain tumor location

Certain dyes as fluorescein, Rose Bengal are preferentially adsorbed by cancerous cells. The technique is to label the dye with (131)I as diiodofluroscein or Rose Bengal.

Accessing the volume of blood The technique isotope dilution is used for this(Na-24 as

NaCl solution).

5-6 liters of blood is present in human beings.

Use of (18)F in the study of neurotransmitter dopamine pathway in the brain

Absence of dopamine leads to the Parkinson's disease. 6-Fluorodopa labeled with (18)F has successfully used to trace the pathway of dopamine in brain by Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Radio Immuno Assay (RIA)

RIA technique was developed by Yalow and Berson.

Technique for assessing the concentration levels of biological ingredients in the body fluids.

RIA technique is used in the estimation of the Human Placental Lactogen (HPL) in the pregnancy, it gives the information regarding the risk of pregnancy.

Radiation processing application Radiation Sterilization:

Convient way to sterilize surgical instruments, gloves and ampoules by the exposure to a high gamma dose of few megarads.

Radiation energy for chemical synthesis:1. Ethyl Bromide:

C2H4 +HBr C2H5Br

Passing ethylene and HBr into the Co(60) source.

Gammexane: Stereoisomer's of BHC by the chlorination of benzene.

C6H6 +3Cl2 C6H6Cl6. It is used with other isomers as a powerful insecticide.

Cyclohexane sulphonyl chloride: Mixture of cyclohexane, Cl2 and SO2 are exposed to

gamma radiation.C6H6 +SO2 + Cl2 C6H6SO2Cl + HCl

Spent fuel rods are used as a source of gamma radiation.

Genetic engineering for crop improvementFrequency of mutation can be enhanced by exposing the plants to high dose of gamma radiation. Usually 10-100KCi of (60) Co sources are used.

Other gamma – induced reaction: Preparation of silicon lubricants, ergo sterol from yeast,

ethylene glycol from methanol.

Polymer of MMA i.e. PMMA

Radiation therapy in cancer treatment

Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor.

Systemic radioisotope therapy is a form of TARGETED THERAPY.

Radiation Oncology (study of tumors) is medical specality concerned with radiation.

Associated radiological safety aspects:ICRP:International Commission on Radiological Protection

Radioactive Lab rules:

Lab coat should be used in active sites radioactivity.

Rubber gloves should be worn when doing chemical action with radioisotopes.

Mouth operation are strictly forbidden.

It is preferable to carry out radioactive experiments in shallow trays.

Guided by:Dr. GEETHA.V Sri.Vinod Kumar. T

Associate Professor Asst. Professor

Department of chemistry Department of Physics

Payyanur College, Payyanur Payyanur College, Payyanur

Sincere Thanks To:

Dr. Santhosh K.P. Principal

Department of Physics &

Kannur University Staff Members

Payyanur Campus, Payyanur. Payyanur College, Payyanur.

References:

Essentials of Nuclear chemistry-H.J.ARNIKAR, fourth edition, published by NEW AGE INTERNATINAL(P) Ltd.

Nuclear Chemistry-MAHESHWAR SHARON & MADHURI SHARON, published by ANE BOOKS (P) Ltd.

Nuclear Physics- S.N. GHOSAL, second edition, published by, S.CHAND.

http:/www.wikipedia.org/isotopes in hydrology/preserved articles.