Narrow Results

Applications of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer and electron accelerator are reviewed with regard to the historical development in Mongolia. The first XRF spectrometer was installed at Nuclear Research Laboratory, National University of Mongolia (NUM) in 1975. Since that time, XRF has developed into a suitable multi-elemental analysis technique with many fields of practical applications. In 1996, electron cycle accelerator (facility called Microtron MT22) was established at the Mongolian Academy of Science (MAS). The maximum energy is set to 22 MeV, suitable for routine activation analysis. The photo and neutron induced nuclear reactions and analysis of chemical elements in various samples and structure analysis of semi-precious stones were studied using the accelerator. Nevertheless, the MT22 is not used for particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis since it is difficult to obtain calibration parameters. In case of Mongolia, collected research samples are sent to Japan and New Zealand for PIXE analysis because this analysis method has higher sensitivity compared to conventional XRF method. In order to develop the X-ray research field in Mongolia, an international conference on X-ray analysis has been held every three years since 2006. Nowadays, there are above 20 laboratories in Mongolia which use the XRF methods and techniques, among them about 80 percent of them are utilized for fields of geology, mining and their industrial control processing and others are used for environment, monitoring control and research studies.

This article gives an overview of existing and possible electron accelerator applications for environmental pollution control. Laboratory and pilot plant tests and industrial applications have illustrated the possibility of applying this technology for purification and treatment of gaseous, liquid, and solid wastes. Examples of ionizing radiation application to protect the environment and human health are discussed.

Electron beam (EB) accelerators are major pieces of industrial equipment used for many commercial radiation processing applications. The industrial use of EB accelerators has a history of more than 50 years and is still growing in terms of both its economic scale and new applications. Major applications involve the modification of polymeric materials to create value-added products, such as heat-resistant wires, heat-shrinkable sheets, automobile tires, foamed plastics, battery separators and hydrogel wound dressing. The surface curing of coatings and printing inks is a growing application for low energy electron accelerators, resulting in an environmentally friendly and an energy-saving process. Recently there has been the acceptance of the use of EB accelerators in lieu of the radioactive isotope cobalt-60 as a source for sterilizing disposable medical products. Environmental protection by the use of EB accelerators is a new and important field of application. A commercial plant for the cleaning flue gases from a coal-burning power plant is in operation in Poland, employing high power EB accelerators. In Korea, a commercial plant uses EB to clean waste water from a dye factory.

The experimental data and simulation results which allow to compare sources of X-ray based on the compact electron accelerators and X-ray monochromatization by crystals are presented. Microtron and betatron have been considered as possible bremsstrahlung, X-ray sources. The brilliance of monochromatic X-ray source based on these accelerators have been compared with X-ray tube. For betatron a possibility of soft part bremsstrahlung yield increase have been showed due to multiply passing of an electron through a thin target and one may expect a significant increase of monochromatic source brilliance because of this process.

Electron beam (EB) accelerators are major pieces of industrial equipment used for many commercial radiation processing applications. The industrial use of EB accelerators has a history of more than 50 years and is still growing in terms of both its economic scale and new applications. Major applications involve the modification of polymeric materials to create value-added products, such as heat-resistant wires, heat-shrinkable sheets, automobile tires, foamed plastics, battery separators and hydrogel wound dressing. The surface curing of coatings and printing inks is a growing application for low energy electron accelerators, resulting in an environmentally friendly and an energy-saving process. Recently there has been the acceptance of the use of EB accelerators in lieu of the radioactive isotope cobalt-60 as a source for sterilizing disposable medical products. Environmental protection by the use of EB accelerators is a new and important field of application. A commercial plant for the cleaning flue gases from a coal-burning power plant is in operation in Poland, employing high power EB accelerators. In Korea, a commercial plant uses EB to clean waste water from a dye factory.

This article gives an overview of existing and possible electron accelerator applications for environmental pollution control. Laboratory and pilot plant tests and industrial applications have illustrated the possibility of applying this technology for purification and treatment of gaseous, liquid, and solid wastes. Examples of ionizing radiation application to protect the environment and human health are discussed.