What is the gamma ray energy of Caesium 137?
Cobalt-60 (60Co) and caesium-137 (137Cs) are the most widely used sources of gamma radiation. Co produces gamma rays with energies of 1.173 and 1.332 MeV and has a half-life of 5.27 years, whereas 137Cs produces gamma rays with an energy of 0.662 MeV and has a longer half-life of 30.1 years.
Is Cesium 137 a gamma emitter?
Caesium 137 is a radioactive element with a relatively long half-life of 30.15 years. This particular isotope of caesium is both a beta and gamma emitter. It is produced in some abundance by fission reactions.
What is a gamma irradiator?
Irradiators are machines that expose products to gamma radiation to kill germs and insects or for other purposes. Food, food containers, spices, fruits, plants and medical supplies are the products most commonly irradiated.
What is a cesium blood irradiator?
The device in question, a blood irradiator that sterilizes body fluids and tissue, has a dangerous amount of a radioactive isotope of cesium. Experts say the device can be seamlessly replaced with a device that uses X-rays instead of radioactive raw material. Cesium 137 also mixes quickly into water, air, and soil.
How does Caesium 137 enter the human body?
Cesium-137 can enter the body when it is inhaled or ingested. After radioactive cesium is ingested, it is distributed fairly uniformly throughout the body’s soft tissues. Slightly higher concentrations are found in muscle; slightly lower concentrations are found in bone and fat.
Is Cesium-137 naturally occurring?
Despite its prevalence in spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, cesium-137 is actually extremely rare. Its half-life is too short for it to persist from natural fission sources, and on earth it is a synthetic isotope only.
Does cesium-137 emit alpha particles?
Cesium-137 decays in the environment by emitting beta particles. Cesium-137 is significant because of its prevalence, relatively long half life (30 years), and its potential effects on human health.
How does a gamma irradiator work?
Gamma irradiation is a physical/chemical means of sterilization, because it kills bacteria by breaking down bacterial DNA, inhibiting bacterial division. Energy of gamma rays passes through the equipment, disrupting the pathogens that cause contamination.
What does a blood irradiator do?
Irradiation of red blood cells and whole blood results in reduced post transfusion red cell recovery and increases the rate of efflux of intracellular potassium. It has no clinically significant effect on red cell pH, glucose, 2,3 DPG levels or ATP.