Mineralization of aqueous phenolate solutions: A combination of irradiation treatment and wet oxidation

Wet oxidation (high-temperature, high-pressure oxidation of organic wastes in aqueous solution) and radiation technology were combined in γ-ray and electron beam induced oxidation of 4×10^?4–1×10^?2 mol dm^?3 Na-phenolate solutions in a wide O₂ concentration (1–20 bar pressure) and absorbed dose (0–50 kGy) range. Most experiments were made in stainless steel high pressure autoclave equipped with magnetic stirrer. The rate of oxidation was followed by chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon content measurements. The rate was similar in γ-ray and pulsed electron beam irradiation and increased with O₂ concentration in the liquid.     

Gamma ray induced changes on vibrational spectroscopic properties of strontium alumino-borosilicate glasses

The present investigation reports the effect of influence of aluminum ions on radiation damage of strontium borosilicate glasses studied by means of spectroscopic (viz., optical absorption (OA), infrared and Raman spectra). The composition of the glasses chosen for the study is 40SrO–xAl₂O₃–(15-x) B₂O₃–40SiO₂ (x = 5, 7.5, 10), all in mol%. The glasses were synthesized by conventional melt quenching method. Later, the samples were exposed to gamma (γ) radiation dose of strengths 10 kGy and 30 kGy with a dose rate of 1.5 Gy/s using ⁶⁰Co as radiation source. The infrared spectra (IR), Raman spectra and optical absorption (OA) spectra of the samples were recorded at ambient temperature before and after irradiation. The OA spectra of the pre-irradiated samples do not exhibit any absorption bands in the UV–vis regions and IR and Raman spectra exhibited conventional vibrational bands due to different borate, silicate AlO₄ and AlO₆ structural units. The OA spectra of post irradiated samples exhibited a broad absorption band in the wavelength region 600–750 nm; it is attributed to electron trapped color centers. The intensity of this peak is observed to increase with increase of the γ-ray dose. Considerable changes in the intensities of various bands in the IR and Raman spectra were also observed. The changes were explained based on structural modifications taking place in the glass network due to γ-ray irradiation and finally it is concluded that the glasses mixed with 10.0 mol% of Al₂O₃ are relatively more radiation resistant.     

Effect of high-dose irradiation on quality characteristics of ready-to-eat chicken breast

High-dose (higher than 30 kGy) irradiation has been used to sterilize specific-purposed foods for safe and long-term storage. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of high-dose irradiation on the quality characteristics of ready-to-eat chicken breast in comparison with those of the low-dose irradiation. Ready-to-eat chicken breast was manufactured, vacuum-packaged, and irradiated at 0, 5, and 40 kGy. The populations of total aerobic bacteria were 4.75 and 2.26 Log CFU/g in the samples irradiated at 0 and 5 kGy, respectively. However, no viable cells were detected in the samples irradiated at 40 kGy. On day 10, bacteria were not detected in the samples irradiated at 40 kGy but the number of bacteria in the samples irradiated at 5 kGy was increased. The pH at day 0 was higher in the samples irradiated at 40 kGy than those at 0 and 5 kGy. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values of the samples were not significantly different on day 0. However, on day 10, the TBARS value was significantly higher in the samples irradiated at 40 kGy than those at 0 and 5 kGy. There was no difference in the sensory scores of the samples, except for off-flavor, which was stronger in samples irradiated at 5 and 40 kGy than control. However, no difference in off-flavor between the irradiated ones was observed. After 10 days of storage, only the samples irradiated at 40 kGy showed higher off-flavor score. SPME-GC–MS analysis revealed that 5 kGy of irradiation produced 2-methylbutanal and 3-methylbutanal, which were not present in the control, whereas 40 kGy of irradiation produced hexane, heptane, pentanal, dimethly disulfide, heptanal, and nonanal, which were not detected in the control or the samples irradiated at 5 kGy. However, the amount of compounds such as allyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide decreased significantly in the samples irradiated at 5 kGy and 40 kGy.     

Induction of transient radioresistance in human erythrocytes

Human erythrocytes suspended in an isotonic Na-phosphate buffer, pH 7.4 (hematocrit of 2%), were irradiated with γ-rays with single and split doses under air or N₂O in order to determine the physicochemical changes caused by the dose inducing an increase in resistance to radiation-induced hemolysis.The obtained results showed that under the applied irradiation conditions, the dose of 0.4 kGy induced changes in erythrocytes, which were responsible for temporary resistance of erythrocytes to hemolysis. We concluded that the observed resistance is caused mainly by the structural changes in proteins.     

Influence of dose on particle size of colloidal silver nanoparticles synthesized by gamma radiation

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were synthesized by γ-irradiation-induced reduction method of an aqueous solution containing silver nitrate as a precursor in various concentrations between 7.40×10^?4 and 1.84×10^?3 M, polyvinyl pyrrolidone for capping colloidal nanoparticles, isopropanol as radical scavenger of hydroxyl radicals and deionised water as a solvent. The irradiations were carried out in a ⁶⁰Co γ source chamber at doses up to 70 kGy. The optical absorption spectra were measured using UV–vis spectrophotometer and used to study the particle distribution and electronic structure of silver nanoparticles. As the radiation dose increases from 10 to 70 kGy, the absorption intensity increases with increasing dose. The absorption peak λ_max blue shifted from 410 to 403 nm correspond to the increase of absorption conduction electron energy from 3.02 to 3.08 eV, indicating the particle size decreases with increasing dose. The particle size was determined by photon cross correlation spectroscopy and the results showed that the particle diameter decreases exponentially with the increase of dose. The transmission electron microscopy images were taken at doses of 20 and 60 kGy and the results confirmed that as the dose increases the diameter of colloidal silver nanoparticle decreases and the particle distribution increases.     

Predicting optimal conditions to minimize quality deterioration while maximizing safety and functional properties of irradiated egg

Irradiation is an excellent method for improving the safety and functional properties of egg. However, the internal quality of egg can be deteriorated due to a rapid decrease in Haugh units. In this study, the optimal conditions for maintaining the quality and maximizing the safety and functional properties of egg were determined when combination of irradiation and chitosan coating was treated using response surface methodology (RSM). Independent degradation parameters—irradiation dose (0–2 kGy) and concentration of chitosan coating (0–2%) were assigned (?2,–1, 0, 1, 2), and 10 intervals were set on the basis of central composite design for the degradation experiment. The dependant variables within a confidence level less than 5% were Haugh units, foaming ability, foam stability, and number of Salmonella typhimurium. The predicted maximum values of Haugh units and foaming ability were 82.7 (irradiation dose 0.0006 kGy and concentration of chitosan solution 1.03%) and 62.2 mm (1.99 kGy and 0.86%), respectively. S. typhimurium inoculated on the egg surface was not detected after 1.86 kGy and 0.48%. Based on superimposing four-dimensional RSM with respect to freshness (Haugh units), functional property (foaming capacity and foam stability), and reduction of S. typhimurium, the predicted optimum ranges for irradiation dose and chitosan solution concentration were 0.35–0.65 kGy and 0.25–0.85%, respectively. The predicted optimum values were obtained from 0.45 kGy and 0.525%. This methodology can be used to predict egg quality and safety when different combination treatments were applied.     

The role of gamma irradiation on the extraction of phenolic compounds in onion (Allium cepa L.)

The effect of gamma irradiation on the content of total phenolic compounds, especially quercetin (Q), in onion (Allium cepa L.) skin was investigated. Onion skin extracts contained two predominant flavonoid compounds, Q and quercetin-4′-glucoside (Q4′G). After 10 kGy gamma irradiation, the yield of Q in the extracts increased significantly from 36.8 to 153.9 μg/ml of the extract, and the Q4′G content decreased slightly from 165.0 to 134.1 μg/ml. In addition, the total phenolic compound content also increased after irradiation at 10 kGy, from 228.0 μg/g of fresh weight to 346.6 μg/g; negligible changes (237.1–256.7 μg/g) occurred at doses of up to 5 kGy. As we expected, radical-scavenging activity was enhanced remarkably (by 88.8%) in the 10 kGy irradiated sample. A dose-dependent increase in the peak intensity of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra was observed in all irradiated samples, with a maximum increase at 10 kGy. The intensity relative to that of the control was 0.15, and it increased to 1.10 in 10 kGy irradiated samples. The optimum gamma irradiation dose, which is sufficient to break the chemical or physical bonds and release soluble phenols of low molecular weight in onion skin, is about 10 kGy.     

Characteristics study on suspended fine particles in aqueous phenol solution formed by electron beam irradiations

The suspended fine particles formed in aqueous phenol solution under high-dose irradiation were studied using the MeV electron beam and ⁶⁰Co γ-ray irradiations. The fine particle's size was 100–800 nm in diameter and became bigger at higher and lower dose rates. The distributions of the particle size became narrower for irradiation at higher dose rate. The fine particles were regarded to consist of molecules of about 1.9×10² molecular weight.     

Radiation induced in-situ generation of conductivity in the blends of polyaniline-base with chlorinated-polyisoprene

Radiation induced acid doping of PANI to generate electrical conductivity was achieved by radiation induced HCl release from chlorinated-polyisoprene (ClPIP). Blends of PANI with ClPIP were prepared by mechanical mixing/grinding in the composition range of 9–43% ClPIP by weight and pelletized under 10 t press. The pellets were irradiated in ⁶⁰Co Gammacell in air at room temperature to doses up to 300 kGy. The maximum electrical conductivity increase was observed for the blend PANI43 which changed from 10^?10 to 10^?4 S cm^?1 when it was irradiated to 300 kGy dose. Radiation induced changes on the blends were also studied by UV–vis spectroscopy using reflection technique and FTIR spectroscopy. The broad absorption band in the visible range (630 nm) increased by increasing irradiation dose. The band (1110 cm^?1) in the IR spectra which is indicative of conductivity showed linear correlation with irradiation dose.     

Efficiency of radical yield in alkylthymine and alkyluracil by high-LET irradiation

Penthylthymines and hexyl-, nonyl-, and decyl- uracils were irradiated by C-ion (3.5 GeV) and γ-ray at 77 K. ESR spectra were measured to study radiation induced radicals in the temperature range from 108 to 273 K. A dihydro-5-yl (5-yl) radical formed by H addition to C6 carbon and a secondary alkyl radical by C–H bond fission at the second carbon from the end of the alkyl group were produced at 108 K. A dihydrouracil-6-yl (6-yl) radical formed by H addition to C5 carbon increased with increasing temperature for alkyluracils. The spectral feature obtained by C-ion irradiation was coincident with that by γ-irradiation.Total radical yields increased by alkylation and with increasing the length of alkyl chain. Yields of both 5-yl and secondary alkyl radicals irradiated by C-ion were less than those by γ-ray for penthylthymines and hexyluracil. On the contrary, radical yields were almost the same between ion and γ-ray irradiation for nonyl- and decyl-uracil. Mechanism of radical formation and effect of high-LET irradiation were discussed.     

Characteristics study of clear polymethylmethacrylate dosimeter,Radix W,in several kGy range

Basic characteristics of Radix W, a commercially available undyed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dosimeter conventionally used by readout at 320 nm, were studied in the dose range of 0.5–8 kGy, for its wide application especially for the evaluation of the sterilization dose and the quality assurance of food irradiation. The characteristics of dose response, the effect of irradiation temperature, and its stability after irradiation were examined over candidate readout wavelengths of 270–320 nm. The dose response readout at shorter wavelength is higher than that at longer wavelength, and 280 nm is the suitable readout wavelength for measurement of dose range of 0.5–8 kGy. The post-irradiation stability of dose response for 6 kGy is less than 1% within 24 h after irradiation at an irradiation temperature of 20 °C. Dose response is higher with temperature at irradiation temperatures in the range of −40 to 20 °C.     

γ-Ray synthesis of starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles with antibacterial activities

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are fabricated through γ-irradiation reduction of silver ions in aqueous starch solutions. The UV–vis analyses show smaller sizes of Ag NPs produced, with higher yields, as the irradiation doses and/or Ag⁺ concentrations are increased. Higher concentrations of starch enhance the yields of Ag NPs, with no significant effects on their size. The most economical Ag NPs are produced at 5 kGy γ-irradiation of a 2×10⁻³ M solution of AgNO₃ containing 0.5% starch. They show a relatively narrow size distribution, indicated by TEM and its corresponding size distribution histogram. The XRD pattern confirms the face-centered cubic (fcc) Ag NPs embedded in starch molecules. Interactions between these nanoparticle surfaces and starch oxygen atoms are indicated by FT–IR. Antibacterial activities of Ag NPs against Escherichia coli appear dependent on the γ-ray doses applied.     

Change in the enzymatic dual function of the peroxiredoxin protein by gamma irradiation

PP1084 protein was exposed to gamma irradiation ranging from 5 to 500 kGy. Native PAGE showed minor structural changes in PP1084 at 5 kGy, and major structural changes at >15 kGy. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed the formation of a new shoulder peak when the protein was irradiated with 15 and 30 kGy, and a double peak appeared at 100 kGy. The results of PAGE and SEC imply that PP1084 protein is degraded by gamma irradiation, with simultaneous oligomerization. PP1084 chaperone activity reached the highest level at 30 kGy of gamma irradiation, and then, decreased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing gamma irradiation. However, the peroxidase activity significantly decreased following exposure to all intensities of gamma irradiation. The improvement of chaperone activity using gamma irradiation might be promoted by the oligomeric structures containing covalently cross-linked amino acids. Consequently, PP1084 modification using gamma irradiation could elevate chaperone activity by about 3–4 folds compared to the non-irradiated protein.     

EPR investigation of some traditional oriental irradiated spices

The 9.50 GHz electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of unirradiated and ⁶⁰Co γ-ray irradiated cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum L. Maton, Zingiberaceae), ginger ((Zingiber officinale Rosc., Zingiberaceae), and saffron (Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae) have been investigated at room temperature. All unirradiated spices presented a weak resonance line with g-factors around free-electron ones. After γ-ray irradiation at an absorbed dose of up to 11.3 kGy, the presence of EPR spectra whose amplitude increase monotonously with the absorbed dose has been noticed with all spices. A 100 °C isothermal annealing of 11.3 kGy irradiated samples has shown a differential reduction of amplitude of various components that compose initial spectra, but even after 3.6 h of thermal treatment, the remaining amplitude represents no less then 30% of the initial ones. The same peculiarities have been noticed after 83 days storage at room temperature but after 340 days storage at ambient conditions only irradiated ginger displays a weak signal that differs from those of unirradiated sample. All these factors could be taken into account in establishing at which extent the EPR is suitable to evidence any irradiation treatment applied to these spices.     

Nutritional,physiological, physicochemical and sensory stability of gamma irradiated Kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables)

Effects of gamma irradiation on nutritional, physiological, physicochemical and sensory properties of the Korean lactic acid fermented vegetable, Kimchi, were investigated. The composition of amino acids and organic acids in Kimchi were not influenced by gamma irradiation less than 10 kGy. Angiotensine converting enzyme inhibitory, xanthin oxidase inhibitory, electron donating and antimicrobial activity of Kimchi extract were stable up to 10 kGy. There were no significant changes in pH and texture at less than 10 kGy. Color values were influenced at 10 kGy of gamma irradiation, and resulted in the increase of L*- and reduction of a*-value. About 90% of panelists identified a sensory difference between non-irradiated and 10 kGy-irradiated sample, and Kimchi irradiated at 10 kGy had lower scores in acceptability than those of the control or irradiated at 2.5 and 5 kGy.     

Magnesium lactate mixed with EVA polymer/paraffin as an EPR dosimeter for radiation processing application

The dosimetric characteristics of γ-radiation-induced defects in magnesium lactate (ML) rods (3.5 mm×10 mm) formulated by mixing ML with molten mixtures of paraffin wax and EVA copolymer have been investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The EPR spectrum of irradiated ML rods was characterized by a quartet signal with the spectroscopic splitting g-factor of 2.0048±0.0003 at 0.4 mT. The useful dose range of the rod dosimeter was 100 Gy to 80 kGy. The mass attenuation coefficient, μ/ρ, and the mass energy-absorption coefficient, μ_en/ρ, versus energy in the range of 10 keV to 20 MeV indicate that the prepared ML dosimeter is typically adipose tissue equivalent overall this energy range. The overall combined uncertainties (at 2σ) associated with routine dose monitoring in the dose range of 0.1–10 kGy and 10–80 kGy were found to be 6.14% and 6.36%, respectively.     

Applicability of the Sunna dosimeter for food irradiation control

The quick development concerning the commercial application of food irradiation in the USA recently resulted in growing marketing of irradiated red meat as well as irradiated fresh and dried fruits. These gamma and electron irradiation technologies require specific dosimetry systems for process control. The new version of the Sunna dosimeter has been characterized in gamma, electron and bremsstrahlung radiation fields by measuring the optically stimulated luminescence (osl) at 530 nm both below and above 1 kGy, i.e. for disinfestation and for meat irradiation purposes. No humidity and no significant dose rate effect on the green osl signal was observed. The temperature coefficient was determined from 0°C up to about 40°C and to stabilize the osl signal after irradiation a heat treatment method was introduced. Based on these investigations the Sunna ‘gamma’ film is a suitable candidate for dose control below and above 1 kGy for food irradiation technologies.     

Effect of gamma irradiated sodium alginate on red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) as growth promoter

In order to study the growth promotion behavior of sodium alginate (SA) on vegetable (red amaranth, Amaranthus cruentus L.), 3% aqueous solution of SA was irradiated by γ-radiation (Co-60) of various total doses (12.5–50.0 kGy) at a dose rate of 3.5 kGy/h. Viscosity of the irradiated SA was found to decrease with increase in the radiation dose. The average molecular weight was also decreased from 10⁴ to 10³ orders. Red amaranth was cultivated in 18 different individual plots and SA solution (150 ppm) was applied on red amaranth after 10 days of seedlings at every 6 days interval. The morphological characters of vegetables were studied randomly in different unit plots. The irradiated SA of 37.5 kGy at 150 ppm solution showed the best performance. Dry matter of red amaranth significantly increased at 37.5 kGy of irradiated alginate treatment which was about 50% higher than that of the untreated samples. The effect of SA on red amaranth was found significant increase; i.e. plant height (17.8%), root length (12.7%), number of leaf (5.4%) and maximum leaf area (2%) compared to that of the control vegetative plant production.     

Quality of fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce and spinach irradiated at doses up to 4 kGy

Fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce packaged in modified atmosphere packages and spinach in perforated film bags were irradiated with gamma rays at doses of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 kGy. After irradiation, the samples were stored for 14 days at 4 °C. O₂ levels in the packages of fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce decreased and CO₂ levels increased with increasing radiation dose, suggesting that irradiation increased respiration rates of lettuce. Tissue browning of irradiated cut lettuce was less severe than that of non-irradiated, probably due to the lower O₂ levels in the packages. However, samples irradiated at 3 and 4 kGy had lower maximum force and more severe sogginess than the non-irradiated control. In addition, ascorbic acid content of irradiated lettuce was 22–40% lower than the non-irradiated samples after 14 days of storage. The visual appearance of spinach was not affected by irradiation even at a dose of 4 kGy. Consumer acceptance suggested that more people would dislike and would not buy spinach that was treated at 3 and 4 kGy as compared to the non-irradiated sample. Overall, irradiation at doses of 1 and 2 kGy may be employed to enhance microbial safety of fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce and spinach while maintaining quality.     

Effect of irradiation and packaging on lipid fraction of Bulgarian salami during storage

The effect of γ-irradiation (4 and 9 kGy) and packaging on the lipolytic and oxidative processes in lipid fraction of Bulgarian fermented salami during storage at 5 °C was evaluated (1st, 15th and 30th days). No significant differences were observed in the amounts of total lipids (TL), total phospholipids (TPL) and acid number (AN) within the vacuum packed samples of salami treated with 4 and 9 kGy during storage. The changes in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) depended mainly on the irradiation dose applied and did not exceed 1.37 mg/kg in all groups. The most intensive lipolytic and oxidative processes and the lowest sensory assessment were found in the non-packed irradiated (9 kGy) samples.