ABSTRACT

Radiation has found widespread application for sterilization of many types of health care products, especially disposable or single-use products and those that cannot tolerate exposure to high temperatures. Irradiation is classified as a cold process, but due to the poor heat transfer properties of many types of health care products, small increases in temperature above ambient can occur in the irradiated product. Proper ventilation of the irradiation area and control of dose rates delivered to products can keep increases in temperature to less than a few tens of degrees Celsius. The types of medical devices that are routinely sterilized using radiation cover a whole host of products ranging from bandages and petri dishes to tissue implants and prosthetic devices. Use of radiation for terminal sterilization of pharmaceuticals is an exciting area that still has not been developed to its full potential. Many types of drugs, particularly those that are biologically derived, could benefit from this process. Radiation has even been used in the developmental phases of potential vaccines for cancer and AIDS. The irradiation sterilization process extends beyond treatment of health care products to commodities and irradiation of food to destroy pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli to make our food safer to eat.