Which Sterilization Process Uses Cobalt-60?

Gamma Irradiation.
What is Gamma Irradiation? The gamma irradiation process uses Cobalt 60 radiation to kill microorganisms on a variety of different products in a specially designed cell.

What are the uses of cobalt-60?

What is it used for? Co-60 is used medically for radiation therapy as implants and as an external source of radiation exposure. It is used industrially in leveling gauges and to x-ray welding seams and other structural elements to detect flaws. Co-60 also is used for food irradiation, a sterilization process.

Why is cobalt-60 used to sterilize medical equipment?

Cold Process Sterilization
The reason why Cobalt-60 is the most suitable for radiation processing is because of the relatively high energy of their gamma rays and fairly long half-life which is 5.27 years.

How does cobalt-60 sterilize food?

Food irradiation is the process of exposing boxes or pallets of food products to radiation from a Cobalt-60 source. The ionizing radiation destroys dangerous contaminates in foods such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and insects. The process is not new; it’s been around for the past 60 years.

What is gamma sterilization used for?

Gamma Radiation Sterilization Explained
As the name implies, this is a sterilization process, and it’s commonly used to kill bacteria and microorganisms that may be living on the surface of products, packaging, or goods.

What is Cobalts main use?

Cobalt (Co) is a metal used in numerous diverse commercial, industrial, and military applications, many of which are strategic and critical. On a global basis, the leading use of cobalt is in rechargeable battery electrodes.

When was cobalt-60 first used in medicine?

October 27, 1951
On October 27, 1951, the world’s first cancer treatment with Cobalt-60 radiation took place at Victoria Hospital. This marked an important milestone for both the fight against cancer and Canada’s emergence as a leader in the field of radiotherapy.

What is ETO sterilization process?

ETO should be considered a known human carcinogen. The basic ETO sterilization cycle consists of five stages (i.e., preconditioning and humidification, gas introduction, exposure, evacuation, and air washes) and takes approximately 2 1/2 hrs excluding aeration time.

What is radiation sterilization method?

Ionizing Radiation. Sterilization by ionizing radiation, primarily by cobalt 60 gamma rays or electron accelerators, is a low-temperature sterilization method that has been used for a number of medical products (e.g., tissue for transplantation, pharmaceuticals, medical devices).

What are the 3 most common machines used in sterilization?

3 Reliable Methods of Medical Sterilization

1. Plasma Gas Sterilizers.
2. Autoclaves.
3. Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilizers.

What is used to sterilize metal?

Use pressure steaming to sterilize metal tools or rubber or plastic equipment. Some clinics and hospitals have a machine for sterilizing called an autoclave. Autoclaves sterilize instruments using pressure and steam.

What type of radiation is cobalt-60?

gamma rays
Cobalt-60 emits two high energy gamma rays, making cobalt-60 both an internal and external hazard. The primary exposure pathways of concern are ingestion (drinking water and fish consumption), and exposure by inhalation and external exposure.

How is cobalt-60 obtained for use in radiation treatment?

Cobalt-60 is produced by neutron bombardment of stable cobalt in a nuclear reactor. Small nickel-plated slugs of the radioactive metal are loaded into a sealed alloy cylinder typically 10 × 450 mm and doubly encapsulated in a corrosion-resistant steel pencil.

What is the difference between EtO and gamma sterilization?

While gamma sterilization can be cheaper and faster than EtO sterilization, the validation costs relating to gamma sterilization are often higher (it requires quarterly revalidation and dose auditing). Therefore, it is suited to high-volume production.

What materials can be gamma sterilized?

Gamma radiation is compatible with many plastics, all metals, and glass (subject to color change). Some polymers, however, are affected either by embrittlement, discoloration, or degradation. Note that gamma rays generate free radicals that can further react and degrade the materials.

Are sterilize by beta or gamma rays?

gamma rays
Both beta as well as gamma rays are suitable for sterilization. The main difference between them lies in their penetration capabilities for materials and the dose rates. The energy-rich beta or gamma rays destroy the DNA of microorganisms and thus render them harmless.

Which products use cobalt?

Cobalt is an essential raw material for superalloy, cemented carbide, diamond tool, batteries, anticorrosive and magnetic materials. It is widely applied in fields including aerospace, electronic appliances, machinery manufacturing, automobiles, chemical industry, agriculture, ceramics, etc.

Where is cobalt found and what is it used for?

Cobalt is usually recovered as a byproduct of mining and refining nickel, silver, lead, copper and iron. Although cobalt is used in electroplating to give objects an attractive surface that resists oxidation, it is more widely used to form alloys.

What industry uses the most cobalt?

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The end use of cobalt is primarily in portable electronics (36.3% of global consumption), such as smartphones and laptops, while automotive applications also account for a major share (23%) and Fitch expects the latter to drive cobalt demand in the coming decades.

Can cobalt-60 destroy bacteria?

The gamma irradiation process uses Cobalt 60 radiation to kill microorganisms on a variety of different products in a specially designed cell. Gamma radiation is generated by the decay of the radioisotope Cobalt 60, with the resultant high energy photons being an effective sterilant.

What disease can cobalt-60 Treat?

Medical-grade Cobalt-60 is used worldwide to battle cancer and for radiation therapy for the treatment of complex brain conditions.