Isotopes of Cobalt - Industrial Uses For Radioactive Isotopes

Industrial Uses For Radioactive Isotopes

Cobalt-60 (Co-60 or 60Co) is useful as a gamma ray source because it can be produced—in predictable quantity, and high activity—by simply exposing natural cobalt to neutrons in a reactor for a given time. It is used for

• sterilization of medical supplies, and medical waste;
• radiation treatment of foods for sterilization (cold pasteurization);
• industrial radiography (e.g., weld integrity radiographs);
• density measurements (e.g., concrete density measurements); and
• tank fill height switches.