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.
Read more about this topic: Isotopes Of Cobalt
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