Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 28
By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend:
The Cobalt-60 (Co-60) isotopes of two types, necessary for the commissioning of the sterilization unit, have been delivered to Azerbaijan, Adil Garibov, chairman of the National Nuclear Research Center CJSC, told Trend Dec. 28.
He said that some of the isotopes were brought from Russia, and some from Hungary.
“Co-60 with a specific activity of 300,000 curies were delivered to the center, and Co-60 with a specific activity of 7,000 curies were delivered to the Institute of Radiation Problems of Azerbaijan’s National Academy of Sciences (ANAS),” he noted. “The work on the loading of isotopes into the sterilization unit will be completed by the end of January next year, and the commissioning of the unit is expected in February.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is familiarized with the project for the construction of the sterilization unit, and the agency is ready to provide the necessary support in the implementation of other projects.
Sterilization unit will be located in Azerbaijan’s settlement of Qobu (20 km away from Baku) on a plot owned by the National Center for Nuclear Research CJSC.
Sterilization unit makes it possible to apply the method of gamma radiation to kill microbes, which in turn increases the shelf life of agricultural products (grains, meat, dried fruit, potatoes, etc.), medicines.