Jurnal

Pendidikan
indonesia

fisika

ENERGY GAMMA RADIATION IN

PHYSICAL ORGANIC MATERIALS
By :
Akrom, M., Hidayanto, E., Susilo

Introduction
What is irradiation (radiation on organic
materials)?
Irradiation is the controlling process of
exposing materials with certain types of
radiation energy to make the desired changes.
Ionizing radiation is radiant energy that has
the ability to break chemical bonds (IFT, 1998;
ICGFI, 1999; FIPA, 2006; FEHD, 2009).

Why
organic
irradiated?

materials

Irradiation on organic materials capable of

controlling
pathogens
(microbes
and
insects), inhibits germination/sprouting, slow
down physiological processes (prolong the
shelf life, slow decay, sustain composition)
(CAC, 1979; Maha, 1998; ICGFI, 1999; ).

Is radiation on organic materials safe?

With controlled doses, does not pose a toxicity hazard
(ICGFI, 1999)
Even a dose of 10-75 kGy is also safe as long as the
taste is not much changed and microbial pathogens
killed (FAO, IAEA, WHO, 1999)
Food safety of microbiology and parasitology
increased (Farkas, 2006)
There is no residual energy in food when the radiation
is stopped (ICGFI, 1999; Hunter, 2006; Egayanti,
2008)
Even in general, the quality of macronutrients
(proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) are not changed by
radiation (Thayer et al, 1987; Thayer, 1990; WHO,

Interaction of radiation with

matter
Electromagnetic wave radiation (such as Xrays, gamma rays) on organic materials can
result in the pair production.
Pair production is the pairing process of
electrons and positrons when the photon
energy is absorbed entirely by the field
effect of the atomic nucleus (ionization
process).

Cont.

Ionization in the pairs production process

Radiation processes in organic

materials
Energy gamma radiation

Ionization

Breakdown of cells,
molecules, DNA

Physiological changes of organisms, gene

mutations, pasteurization, sterilization

Cont.
At the time of gamma radiation given to a
material, particle photons originating from
gamma rays with sufficient energy hit an atomic
and catapult electron to form an ion pair (free
electrons, free radicals, chemical species) /
ionization.
Ionization causes physical characteristics and
function of the cell molecules will change.
Ionization of DNA will result in the strengthening
of biological properties.
Can be explained that, the chemical species of
ionization are active and will break the chemical
bonds of DNA molecules in microbes, so it is not
capable of repairing damaged DNA, resulting in

The destruction of the cell, the DNA molecule

by energy gamma radiation

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effect

of energy gamma radiation on the
shrinkage weights on red guava fruit.

Materials

Orgaic material :red guava fruit

Radiation Tool : Iradiator Panorama Serbaguna
(IRPASENA)
Source : Energy gamma from Co-60
Aktivity : 18.003,683 Ci
Dose rate : 0,73771 kGy/hour

Methods

Organic
material
s

Radiati
on

Evaluation of
Shrinkage Weight

Storage

Results and Discussion

Graphs the relationship between storage time and mass

Diagram between radiation dose and the shrinkage weights

 Mass reduction/weight shrinkage quickly

in the control sample (not irradiated)
occurs because the process of respiration
during the storage period. (Kader, 1992;
Winarno, 2002; Enrico, 2008).
Respiration process will change the
complex compounds commonly found in
cells such as sugars and carbohydrates
into
simple
molecules
such
as
carbohydrates, carbon dioxide and water
volatile (Kader, 1989; Wills et al., 1989;
Winarno, 2002).

 Mass reduction/weight shrinkage in

irradiated samples runs slower than
the control sample.
This suggests that energy gamma
radiation is able to maintain the
composition of red guava fruit during
storage compared with the control
sample without irradiated.

Conclusion
Based on the results of research and discussion, it can be
concluded that:
Gamma radiation at a dose of 0.2 to 1 kGy able to
maintain the composition of the mass of red guava fruit
during storage.
Weight shrinkage of red guava fruit irradiated around
1,23 - 5.98% lower than weight shrinkage of red guava
fruit not-irradiated with 20,27%, this is caused by
radiation-induced ionization process produces free
radicals that break down the chemical bonds in
chromosomes and DNA of microbes that metabolic
processes (maturation/decay) runs slow.

Thank You