Applications of radioisotopes and radiation technology in industry: current status and prospects

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, over the last five decades has made pioneering contributions in the development and applications of radioisotopes and radiation technology for industry, medicine and agriculture leading to significant benefits to the society. This article briefly discusses various applications of radioisotopes and radiation technology in the industry presently being pursued at BARC. The main areas of application include radiotracers and sealed sources for industrial troubleshooting, radiography and tomography for NDT applications, and nucleonic gauges for quality control in industrial processes. The radiation processing technology, on the other hand, is an effective, economical and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods used for various industrial processing applications. Presently, 24 gamma irradiators and 18 electron-beam machines are commercially operating in India for various radiation processing applications.