Radiation Processing Technology: Assessment of Status and Path

Forward

DR. R. K. KHANDAL

DIRECTOR

SHRIRAM INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH19, UNIVERSITY ROAD, DELHI - 110007

Outline

Energy transitions

Radiation Processing

Applications

Status

Risk & Success factors

Scope for future

Path Forward

ENERGY TRANSITIONS IN MATTER

Radiation SpectrumFrequency (Hz)

Visib

le

Infrared

Ultravio

let

X-rays

Co

smic rays

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Rad

iofreq

uen

cy

Gam

ma rays

Micro

wave

High Potential for harnessing the solar energy

Processes involved Inner

electronic transition

Outer electronic transition

Molecular Vibrations

Molecular rotations vibrations

Electron spin resonance

Nuclear magnetic resonance

Change at atomic & molecular levels can become the via media for value-addition of materials

Materials undergo region specific transitions; being active towards IR, UV, X-rays & gamma rays which are of interest for processing materials

Energy & their Sources

Source

Heating & Combustion

Excitations in the nucleus

Angular motion & spinning of electrons

Energy

Nuclear

Thermal

Magnetic

Electrical Flow of electrons

Kinetic Motion

Energy Levels Involved in Processing vis-à-vis Transitions

LevelForm of Energy

Nuclear

Very very high

Transitions

Thermal

Electrical

Ultimate

Very high

At all levels

MolecularAtomic(Nuclear only in case of fusion)

Kinetic High

MolecularAtomic (electrons)

MolecularAtomic (electrons)

Radiations of different energies can be used to effect transitions of various

kinds in materials

Radiation processing means value-addition of materials

Electromagnetic Energy (Radiations): Transitions in Matter

Energy (eV)Type of radiations

X-rays

2-3

Transition level

120 - 120 x 103 At atomic level

PhotosynthesisFluorescencePhosphorescence

All the radiations are due to photons

Infrared (IR) 0.001-2Vibrations of the molecule; at molecular level

Ultraviolet (UV) 3-124Electronic transitions from one level to other; at molecular level

Visible

RADIATION PROCESSING

Radiation Processing for Material Modification

Modification

Surface

Bulk

Materials

•Superior physical properties•Superior chemical properties•Superior performance

•Low cost of materials•Raw material availability•Manufacturability•Regulatory requirements

Superior performance materials required in medical, military, transport, utility & industrial areasRequired for automotive, electric & other consumer goods, low cost, high quality & volume availability are importantCost is not a criteria; performance is supreme!

Processing Technology

Process TechnologyParameter

Inputs

Thermodynamic Biological

Processing Technology

Process

Output

Raw & basic materials

Valuable material

Finished materials

PhysicalMechanicalChemicalBiological

Value creation

Value addition

If process technology produces valuable materials, processing technologies

render value creation and value addition of materials A novel processing technology is the one that can process all sorts of

materials

Radiation Processing: Myths and Truth

MYTHS

• Radioactivity is deadly, keep it away from food

• Irradiation kills nutrients

• Causes possibility of environment accidents and work exposure

• Irradiation alters chemistry of food

• Irradiation makes food radioactive

TRUTH

• Food irradiation saves life

• Irradiation results in minimal nutrient loss like other food processing techniques. Helps to maintain quality longer

• 40 medical product irradiation plants in US - None have shown to endanger environment

• Safety and design considerations do not expose workers to irradiation process

• No substances unique to irradiation have been identified

Do we become radioactive when you have an X-ray ?

RADIATION PROCESSING : APPLICATIONS

Microbial decontamination of spices and herbal products

Detoxification of aflatoxin in

peanuts

Shelf-life enhancement

of apples

SRI Experience In Gamma Irradiation of Food and Herbal Products

SRI Experience in Optical Plastics

Metal containing polyacrylates having high refractive index and good impact resistance

Refractive index and abbe number of polyacrylates can be tailor made.

Tinted contact lenses having better properties than conventional tinted contact lenses

Patents granted on above technologies

Optical plastics

SRI Experience in High Performance Electron Beam Curable Wood Coatings

Epoxy and urethane acrylate based coatings were designed and developed

Coated samples in different types of wood such as teak, shisham, kail, kicker and plywood

Radiation curable coatings were evaluated vis-à-vis conventional coatings for carious physico-mechanical properties

Thermal resistance of radiation curable coating is much better than that of conventional coatings

Successful demonstration and trials

Curable wood coating

SRI Experience in Destruction of Toxic PCBs in Oils and Paints (Ship Breaking Yard Alang)

Destruction of PCBs

PCBs destruction in oils and paints scrapings achieved upto 78 % and 91 % by gamma radiation without affecting the properties of oils and paints scrapings

Gamma irradiation process can be safely used for treatment of oils and paint wastes containing toxic PCBs as a better alternative to conventional high temperature incineration method

Gamma irradiation technique is an environment friendly process for the destruction's of PCBs in oils and paint waste

Shriram Applied Radiation Center (SARC)

The growth of SARC has been steady, and quite moderate Business growth for radiation processing has been low

100

535

420

258

248

387 415

490 519

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Jan-90 Dec-91 Jun-91 Dec-95 Sep-98 Nov-01 Jan-03 Feb-05 Jun-06

Month / Year

Co

-60

Rad

io-A

ctiv

ity

(KC

i)

STATUS OF IRRADIATION PROCESSING

E-Beam Accelerators & Gamma Irradiators in World

Country E-Beam Gamma TotalAccelerators Irradiators

USA >500 >50 >550Japan >300 >8 >308China >140 >120 >260Europe >60 >50 >110South America >23 >14 >37Brazil >15 8 >23Russia >15 5 >20India 8 14 22

World Total >1400 >260 >1660

Radiation Processing in India: Applications

NAME OF THE PLANT DESIGNED APPLICATION

CAPACITY, kCiISOMED, Mumbai 1000 HealthcareSARC, Delhi 800 Spices, Healthcare BRIT, Vashi 1000 Spices, Healthcare OGFL, Kolkata 1000 Healthcare, Agro-productsSHRI, Vadodara 1000 Sludge storage treatmentMicrotol, Bangalore 1000 Spices, Healthcare Agrosurg, Mumbai 1000 Spices, Healthcare Gamma Agro medical 1000 Spices, Healthcare Junson chemicals Bhiwadi 1000 Spices, Healthcare KRUSHAK, Lasalgaon 300 Agro-productsVardan Agrotech, Sonepat 1500 Spices, Healthcare A/V Processors,Mumbai 1000 Spices, HealthcareRASHMI, Bangalore - HealthcareRAVI, Jodhpur - HealthcareSCHTIMST, Thiruvanantapuram 80 Healthcare

From Orchard to cold storage, delay should be minimised to retain quality

At each step of operation, delays result rejections causing loss of ~ 30 % of apples produced

If taken straight for irradiation after harvesting, losses can be minimised

MATURE APPLE

HARVESTING

PRECOOLING

SORTING/ GRADING

PACKAGING

TRANSPORTATION

LOCAL COLD STORAGE

CONSEQUENCE

• Should be minimum otherwise spoilage may increase

TIME INVOLVED

2-4 Days

1-2 Days

1-2 Days

2-3 Days

• Delay may cause quality deterioration

MARKET

• Delay may cause spoilage/ rejection

GAMMA RADIATION

1-5 Days

OUTSIDE COLD STORAGE

Harvesting Process to Market

Cost - Economics : Radiation Vs CAS

Control Atmosphere Storage (CAS)

Project of Rs 200 crore for establishment of CAS for preservation of

6000 tonnes of apples in the Himachal Pradesh

This CA storage will be able to preserve only 3% of the total apple

produce of Himachal Pradesh

Irradiators 1400 kCi irradiator capacity

4 plants of 350 kCi

Total cost of <100 crore

Problem Areas Associated with Herbal Products

Bacterial & fungal attack with time during storage & handling

Development of toxins (aflatoxins)

Deterioration of efficacy of the actives with time

Sanitary and phytosanitary aspects

Need to develop sterilization methods without

- Loss of low volatile components

- Loss of essential oils

- Degradation of actives

RADIATION PROCESSING : RISK & SUCCESS FACTORS

RISK FACTORS

Radiation technologies do not have risk factors to cause any serious concern for their sustainability; Managing them is the key

-irradiation E-Beam

Obsolescence

Non-availability of inputs

Misuse

Non-availability of technical

support services

Factors

Isotope

Anti-social

Safety

Equipments & devices

Electricity

Anti-social

Continuous process

Environmental concerns

Radio safety Installation

Isotope

No

?

?

?

Yes

Yes

?

No

Yes

Yes

Irradiation Technologies: Success factors

Mandatory irradiation of food products

Availability of power/ infrastructure

Institutions like BARC, SRI, etc. have been playing a major role in creating awareness about advantages of radiation processing

Emphasis on capability building in this field is needed !

Mandatory use of E-beam irradiated products e.g. cables

Mandatory irradiation of biomedical products

Affordable costPopularization as environment-friendly technique

Gamma E-beam

Radiation Processing : Scope for Future

• Huge potential for the development of novel materials in the area of infrastructure, energy, space, defense, etc.

• Emerging technology for :

• Special variety of seeds

• Nanomaterials with extraordinary properties

• Food safety & food security

• Crop preservation

• Sewage treatment

•Recycling of non-degradable plastics

• Rapid growth in use of drugs, biological & electronic devices and regenerative medicines.

Common utility for any food park or industry park !

Radiation Processing : Path Forward

• Policy decisions for mandatory processing of all raw foods by irradiation

• Environment friendly technology for reducing carbon footprint

• Frame policies to encourage R & D using radiation processing

• Aiming for adoption of irradiation processing in different sectors

Thank You