MARIA Reactor Irradiation Technology Capabilities towards Advanced Applications

The MARIA research reactor is designed and operated as a multipurpose nuclear installation, combining material testing, neutron beam experiments, and medical and industrial radionuclide production, including molybdenum-99 (99Mo). Recently, after fuel conversion to LEU and rejuvenation of the staff while maintaining their experience, MARIA has been used to respond to the increased interest of the scientific community in advanced nuclear power studies, both fission and fusion. In this work, we would like to introduce MARIA’ s capabilities in the irradiation technology field and how it can serve future nuclear research worldwide.

Preservation of rapana meat by the irradiation technology

The article considers the technology of maturing preserves from the meat of the Black Sea gastropod mollusc Rapana thomasiana using irradiation technologies. The methods of improving the technology of processing rapana meat have been studied in order to ensure long-term storage of the finished product without using artificial preservatives. The technology is based on the preliminary preparation of the semi-finished product, which includes defrosting, sorting, cutting, washing, inspection, portioning, blanching, and cooling. It has been studied how different methods of preprocessing the raw material affect the mechanostructural properties of rapana preserves. Blanching the meat of rapana has proved practical. Acetic acid has been shown to increase the sensitivity of rapana muscle tissue to picowaves. It has been found effective to soften rapana muscle tissue by marinating with acetic acid and by using picowave irradiation in various doses (2 to 10 kGy) for 60 s. The choice of the recommended dose of 2 kGy has been substantiated. It has been established that after picowave processing, the sensory properties of the finished product do not change. The system of picowave processing of preserved meat to soften its inhomogeneous structure has been described. The shift of kinetic energy in the electronic field using thin targets to form the required radiation field of different sizes has been used. This has allowed influencing the inhomogeneous structure of the raw material. It has been proved that after picowave irradiation with the dose 2 kGy, the preserved rapana meat is microbiologically safe and can be stored for 90 days at 4±2°С. The technological scheme of making preserves from rapana meat using PWP has been provided. The studies indicate that using the irradiation technology is practical, as it ensures the maturation of low-maturing aquatic organisms, extends the shelf life of food, guarantees safety and high quality

Preparation of hydrogel reinforced with bentonite by gamma irradiation for metal absorption

A natural-based sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel reinforced with bentonite was prepared by using gamma irradiation technology. This is a novel hydrogel that uses natural polymer to absorb metal ions in wastewater. The influence of dose, concentration of CMC and bentonite on the sorption of hydrogels was investigated by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method. According to the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacities of CMC/bentonite hydrogel for Cu2+ and Pb2+ were 181.82 mg/g and 204.08 mg/g at room temperature, respectively. The pseudo-second-order model which describes the adsorption process of Cu2+ and Pb2+ was also studied

Application of Gamma Irradiation Technology in Preservation of Food: Prospects and Challenges

Since about over a quarter of the harvested food is lost due to different types of wastage and spoilage, preservation of food is no less important than production of food. Gamma irradiation technology is one of the most appropriate and prominent technologies that can be applied in preservation of food. Gamma area science, also restrict the spoilage and wastage of castrate various maintain security of benefits gamma irradiation high power of, effortlessly, less it is and economically absence awareness, education socialisation the utilisation of gamma irradiation, there are still several societies, which think that gamma irradiation technology is hazardous and its radiation damages the proteins and genes. In fact, preservation of food using nuclear irradiation has been tested, researched and inspected and presently marketable practice in different nations. Gamma irradiation technology is still required to be advanced and it is encouraged so that it can be applied extensively through the regulation that is decided by the administrations to enhance the information of peoples about the advantage of nuclear irradiation power. It is also be considered that irradiated food and foodstuffs and the research outputs of the technology must be socialised, advertised, and published in a variability of advertising mode both in public community and scientific society, so that irradiated food and foodstuffs can be documented and recognised by various communities.