High dose irradiation and dosimetry services
ANSTO Radiation Technology operates a cobalt-60 irradiator for small scale irradiation of a wide range of products, and to various doses. The group's unique facilities enable it to accurately deliver high doses of radiation with a precision not achievable in industrial-scale irradiators. Controlled dose rates and temperatures allow users to test ideas, develop applications and perform irradiations under non-standard conditions.
Irradiation services capabilities
|
Dose rates |
Up to 4 kGy.h-1 |
|
Doses |
10 to 106 Gy |
|
Temperature |
–78 °C (under dry ice) up to room temperature |
|
Product size |
Up to 1 m3 |
Examples include:
|
Product |
Dose |
Dose Uniformity |
|
Sterile Insect Technique |
70 – 75 Gy |
< 1.07 |
|
Medical products (ISO 11137) |
1 to 20 kGy |
< 1.2 |
|
Frozen human bones and tissues |
15 or 25 kGy |
< 1.4 |
High dose dosimetry service
ANSTO Radiation Technology manufactures and calibrates radiation dosimeters for use in monitoring doses in high dose irradiation applications. The group's dosimeter measurements are traceable to the Australian standard for absorbed dose. These reference standard dosimeters can provide traceable calibrations for routine dosimeters used by any provider of gamma irradiation services worldwide.
The group's dosimeters can be used to calibrate any gamma radiation field from small blood irradiators to large industrial pallet or tote irradiators. Manufacturers of sterile medical products may conduct quality control checks on the dose delivered to their products in industrial irradiators. Dosimeters are manufactured following international best practice for dosimetry in radiation processing (ISO 17025 and ISO/ASTM standards). The group provides a supply and measurement service. It also supplies calibrated dosimeters to customers for irradiation and, upon return, report dosimeter readings.
Service fact sheet here.
Dosimetry systems
|
Dosimeter |
Dose Range |
Uncertainty (95% confidence) |
|
Fricke |
50 – 350 Gy |
2.0 % |
|
Ceric Cerous (Low Dose) |
1 – 12 kGy |
3.0 % |
|
Ceric Cerous (High Dose) |
10 – 35 kGy |
3.5 % |
Regulatory requirements
In a highly regulated environment, Radiation Technology maintains a quality management system that complies with the following licences, standards and guidelines.
| TGA Licence | for the radiation treatment of therapeutic goods |
| APVMA Licence | for the radiation treatment of veterinary goods |
| AQIS Licence | for the radiation treatment of goods subject to Australian quarantine |
| ARPANSA Licence | for the safe operation of radiation facilities |
| ISO 13485 : 2003 | regulatory requirements for the control of radiation processing of medical devices |
| ISO 9001 : 2008 | quality management system requirements |
The group also adheres to the principles of the following standards and guidelines:
| ISO 11137 : 2006 | substantiation of the sterilising dose for medical devices |
| ISO 17025 and ISO/ASTM | international best practice for dosimetry in radiation processing |
Contact:
To discuss potential research that can be conducted using the group's gamma irradiation and high-dose dosimetry services, or to obtain a price, please contact:
Radiation Technology
Ph: +61 2 9717 3441 or fax:+61 2 9717 9325. Email: radtech@ansto.gov.au.
Seminars
Irradiation Technology for Australia: the First and the Next 40 Years
30 and 31 March 2010 at ANSTO, Lucas Heights
Australia's Gamma Technology Research Irradiator (GATRI) has been using cobalt-60 radiation for 40 years since it first went into regular service in 1970. This seminar is designed to commemorate this achievement and to present plans for a new facility.
Also see Abstracts from the last seminar on 10 October 2007.
Forms and terms of business
Radiation Technology Agreement for Service Work (doc)