Simple, fast, ecologically friendly, radiation processing is the technology of producing useful and desirable changes in the properties, structure, bacteria count, or infestation level, of materials and products by treatment with ionizing radiation.
Electron beam processing, or E-beam, is that branch of radiation processing where the changes are induced by use of accelerated electrons as the ionizing radiation source of the process. In ionization, atomic electrons are removed from molecules (thus breaking bounds in material or damaging the DNA).
Similarly, X-rays can also be used as an ionization radiation source. X-rays are electromagnetic photons emitted when high-energy electrons strike any material. They can therefore be produced by an electron accelerators similar to those used in IBA’s E-beam product line.
E-beam and X-ray irradiation, proven technologies introduced more than 50 years ago, are safe and respect the environment.
Safety is a major advantage of E-beam and X-ray in comparison with other approaches to irradiation. As with any electrical equipment, the electron accelerators can be shut down at any time. When the accelerator is off, it is completely safe to enter the irradiation area and work anywhere near the equipment. Furthermore there is no handling, licensing, shipping, disposal or use of radioactive material.
